After a recent study targeted individuals with a lean body, this tidbit is all set to unnerve those with a towering height. A new study conducted by Oxford University has thrown light on cancer risks associated with being tall.
The findings reveal that the risk of cancer raises by nearly 16% for every 10cm, which is 4 inches stringing height. This study involves women from different financial backgrounds and is inclusive of a broad range of cancers as well.
‘We showed that the link between greater height and increased total cancer risk is similar across many different populations from Asia, Australasia, Europe, and North America,’ commented Dr Jane Green, lead author of the study, who is based at the Cancer Epidemiology Unit at Oxford University.
The link between cancer and height seems to be spread across a wide set of individuals which shows that there must be a common mechanism operating while people are in their growth phase. The study involved 1.3 million middle-aged women in the U.K who enrolled in the time period of 1996 to 2001. The median follow-up time of about 10 years revealed 97,000 instances of cancer.
Complete cancer risk appeared to increase with growing height. The list was inclusive of cancers affecting the breast, ovary, womb, bowel, leukaemia and malignant melanoma. The scientists also conducted a meta-analysis by collective observation of 10 previous studies.
Although the study does not efficiently clarify the risk factors associated with growing height, other variables like surrounding influences, diet, childhood infections and growth hormone proportions are also attributable to cancer. As per scientists, the increase in height among the population in this era might explore cancer prevalence over time.
Dr Green concludes that height is not modifiable, and tallness has been related to lower risks of many other health conditions like heart disease and so on. This study essentially outlines the process of cancer development.
This study is published online in The Lancet Oncology.