height and mortality in England

From: Doug Skrecky (oberon@vcn.bc.ca)
Date: Tue May 26 1998 - 10:22:30 MDT


Authors
  Barker DJ. Osmond C. Golding J.
Institution
  MRC Environmental Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton,
  General Hospital, UK.
Title
  Height and mortality in the counties of
  England and Wales [see comments].
Comments
  Comment in: Ann Hum Biol 1995 Jul-Aug;22(4):347-8
Source
  Annals of Human Biology. 17(1):1-6, 1990 Jan-Feb.
Abstract
  Average heights of adults and children in the counties of
  England and Wales were examined using national samples of people born between
  1920 and 1970. Although height increased over this 50-year
  period the differences between counties persisted. Average
  height in a county is closely related to its pattern of
  death rates, which were derived from all deaths during 1968-78. Counties with
  taller populations have lower mortality from chronic
  bronchitis, rheumatic heart disease, ischaemic heart disease and stroke, and
  higher mortality from three hormone-related cancers, of the
  breast, prostate and ovary. The inverse relation of height
  with bronchitis and cardiovascular disease is further evidence of risk
  factors acting in early childhood. The positive relation between
  height and cancers of the breast, ovary and prostate could
  suggest that promotion of child growth has disadvantages as well as benefits.



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