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Shorter Men Live Longer: Association of Height with Longevity and FOXO3 Genotype in American Men of Japanese Ancestry

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Paper Summary

Paperzilla title
Shorter Japanese-American Men Live Longer (But It's Complicated)

In a 40-year study of over 8,000 American men of Japanese ancestry, shorter stature was associated with increased lifespan. This may be related to height's association with fasting insulin levels and FOXO3 genotype, a gene linked to longevity and insulin signaling. However, it remains difficult to rule out other confounders like childhood nutrition, which may impact both height and lifespan.

Explain Like I'm Five

In a study of Japanese-American men, shorter men tended to live longer. This might be because height is linked to insulin signaling, which plays a role in aging.

Possible Conflicts of Interest

The study was supported by government grants and the VA. No other conflicts were disclosed.

Identified Limitations

Limited generalizability
The study population is limited to men of Japanese ancestry, so it's unclear if the findings apply to other groups.
Potential confounding
Height could be a proxy for other factors, like childhood nutrition, that actually influence lifespan.
Potential confounding due to age
Height can decrease with age and mortality increases with age, which could create a spurious association.

Rating Explanation

This is a decent observational study with a large sample size and long follow-up. However, the specific population and potential confounders limit the generalizability of the findings and prevent a stronger causal claim.

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Topic Hierarchy

Domain: Life Sciences
Subfield: Aging

File Information

Original Title: Shorter Men Live Longer: Association of Height with Longevity and FOXO3 Genotype in American Men of Japanese Ancestry
Uploaded: August 18, 2025 at 05:38 PM
Privacy: Public