According to a new study, taller adults may be at greater risk of developing colorectal cancer than their shorter friends - via healthing_ca healthing colorectalcancer ColorectalCancerAwarenessMonth
Findings show that height is a risk factor for the disease and may indicate a need for earlier screening.There has been a long-observed relationship between height and colorectal cancer risk. GETTY
While the review does not prove causation, it strengthens a long-observed relationship between height and colorectal cancer risk. “One possible reason for this link is that adult height correlates with body organ size,” said Elinor Zhou, co-first author of the report. “More active proliferation in organs of taller people could increase the possibility of mutations leading to malignant transformation.
“The findings suggest that, overall, the tallest individuals within the highest percentile of height had a 24 per cent higher risk of developing colorectal cancer than the shortest within the lowest percentile,” Mullin said. “Every 10-centimetre increase in height was found to be associated with a 14 per cent increased risk of developing colorectal cancer and six per cent increased odds of having adenomas.
The percentage results used by researchers in this study were adjusted for known risk factors for colorectal cancer, including non-modifiable factors, such as age or family history. Although not directly comparable, the team suggested that the influence of tallness may carry a risk of colorectal cancer on par with other modifiable risks, such as smoking or alcohol consumption.