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Scientists in a population-wide study into the relationship between height and different diseases have come out with a result that tall people are easily susceptible to cancer.
The risk of breast cancer in women is said to increase by 20 per cent for every 10 cm increase in height, while malignant melanoma increases by about 30 per cent for every 10 cm height increase for both men and women.
The study was carried out on Swedish men and women born between 1938 and 1991 with their height records taken. Their medical progress was monitored since age 20 till end of 2011 and a link was made between height and cancer.
According to Emelie Benyi, a Ph.D student at Karolinksa Institute, Stockholm, “Our studies show that taller individuals are more likely to develop cancer but it is unclear so far if they also have a higher risk of dying from cancer or have an increased mortality overall.”
But Professor Mel Greaves of Institute of Cancer Research, London said that for cancers such as breast and skin cancer other factors such as family history, reproductive patterns and obesity have a much greater impact in the risk of developing the diseases compared to height.
