I am almost positive now that there is a clear correlation between the fact that a genetic propensity for extra height means a correlation to more chances to develop cancer, but also the possibility to age faster as well.

The best example is between people who are are big meat eaters, espousing the importance of protein. People who eat meat have ben tested and they are on average taller than their vegetarian peers (from evidence on Paleolithic humans compared to humans who started agriculture and eating grains), but they are also more likely to develop cancer and seem to live shorter lives with an increase in heart diseases.

There was a famous book that came out 20 years ago called “The China Study” which seemed to show that people who lived in rural china and lived on a diet of clean fresh vegetables seemed to have far lower rates of high cholesterol, heart disease, obesity, and other cardiovascular disease which had been affecting the Americans. The book’s main claim is that if you wanted to live longer and decrease your chances of developing some form of chronic cardiovascular disease later in life, you want to eat a diet similar to rural Chinese.

What obviously was not considered is that people in rural china may have lower levels of heart related disease, but they are also far shorter than the average american, which lives on more meat. It seems that there is a tradeoff between height and health.

This type of example is seen also in the Japanese. We have heard that the Japanese are well known to live the longest of all the countries, with men averaging about 80 years in life expectancy in the small prefecture of Okiwana. Sciences have been fascinated at trying to understand why the Japanese have such high life spans and they credit it to the food, which is based on fish which is full of good fats and Omega-3. They have traditionally not eaten much cow or pig, and that is the reason western scientists think the Japanese are healthier and live longer.

Again, remember that the Japanese even though they are modernized, developed, and such are still one of the shortest ethnicities of a developed nation. Just like the Chinese, the Japanese are on average shorter than the height of the average western caucasian.

What is always noted at the end of these studies is that the younger generation of Chinese and Japanese from the influence of Western food like KFC and MacDonalds coming in, there are higher rates of obesity, heart disease, and similar problems. However, it is also noted that the younger generation of Chinese and Japanese are also much taller than the older generation. Maybe there is a correlation between the two factors.

Western Caucasians seem to note and state that East Asian people seem to age slower than Western Caucasian people. They look younger than they really are. (I personally once met a 32 year old Japanese girl at a casino that looked like she was 18). The same westerners would also note that the same asian people who look younger than they really are are also usually shorter than they are.

The last example is to use my own genetics as an example. In my family, only my mother’s father side of the family has the height gene. He was a very tall man and the height which I have is from his side of the family. However, all of my family lineage have been mostly cancer free except for his side. Although all 3 of my grandparents were either short or average in height, there is very little cancer in their families. My paternal grandfather seems to have many cases of cancer in his family line. All of my male cousins from my mother’s side of the family are tall, and many are taller than me.

Plus, I would be considered “tall” for my ethnicity and so would one of my younger sister. However, I have always known that my face seems to age faster than normal and I have always looked older than I really am. My younger sister does as well since she developed very quickly and reached puberty at a rather young age. My other sister who is shorter, developed slower but seems to have better health and genetic fitness than my taller sister. In addition, the taller sister has noted that her hair grows extremely fast, which is similar to my hair, which also grows extremely fast. My shorter sister has average rate increase of her hair.