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Shorter people 'have a chip on their shoulder which makes them unhealthy'
Last updated at 08:07am on 18.10.07
No big deal: At 5ft, Danny DeVito is well below average height
Those not blessed with height are often accused of having a chip on their shoulder.
Now a study has found that they might, in fact, have an unhealthy attitude to life.
Short men and women apparently complain of poorer mental and physical health than those of an average height.
Researchers examined more than 14,000 responses to the 2003 Health Survey for England.
The subjects had given details of their height, weight, age, gender, long-standing illness and social class.
They were then asked to rate their health on a range of indicators such as mobility, pain and depression.
Those in the shortest height category - men shorter than 5ft 4in and women shorter than 5ft - reported much poorer health, according to the report in the journal Clinical Endocrinology.
The survey did not ascertain how healthy they actually were, just how well they thought they were.
Lead researcher Dr Torsten Christensen said: "Using this large and nationally representative sample of the UK population, we found shorter people report that they experience lower physical and mental well-being than taller people do.
"Our results also indicate that the shorter someone is, the stronger this relationship becomes."
She added that an increase in height of one inch would have a positive impact on the healthrelated quality of life of a short person, whereas the effect of an extra inch would be negligible for a person of normal height.
Dr Christensen found that short people would have a 6 per cent higher health rating if they were around three inches taller.
This is the equivalent to the health benefit experienced by an obese person losing two and a half stones.
Dr Christensen, of Danish healthcare company Novo Nordisk, added: "We know that people who are short experience more difficulties in areas of their life such as education, employment and relationships than people of a normal height.
"Although our study does not show that short height directly causes a reduction in physical and mental health, it does indicate that short people are more likely to feel that they experience a lower healthrelated quality of life."
She added: "Further research is now needed to clarify the precise relationship between changes in height and health-related quality of life."
Short height in adult life can either be due to normal development or can be caused by a number of diseases such as growth hormone deficiency and Turner syndrome.
Treatment with growth hormone for children with these conditions can increase their final height by as much as four inches.
The study shows that these height increases could have a huge positive effect on a person's mental wellbeing once they grow up.
Reader views (18)
This is THE MOST outrageous article I have EVER seen! This is exaggerated, arrogant, and absolutely UNTRUE! I find it despicable that anyone would even THINK that this is a sesible accusation. You need a reality check if you think that tall people are in ANY WAY superior to short people. And don't bother saying that I only say that because I am short, as a matter of fact, I am considered quite tall, being 5"11' and a WOMAN. My daughter is 11 and she is 4"7', and may I add that she is a straight "A" student. I can not believe the hurtful, self centered, and stereotypical things that some people have said! No matter how tall you are, everyone has feelings, and you need to respect that just like you would if you were talking to a tall person.
- Anonymous, Not applicaple, ca, 27/12/2010 23:20
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Im 5'2" and a SNCO in the British Army, I get paid the same as other taller SNCO's and got promoted at the same time. Your height does not matter it is how you act as a person and project yourself. Its not how other people see you, its how you see yourself.
- Will, Peterborough, England, 24/09/2010 14:35
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I must admit on occassions i do a chip on my shoulder but only on certain matters.When i get called names or i cant reach something.Both my parents are pretty short dad is 5'3 and mum is 5'1 so what chance did i have of a decent height.Growing up i didnt know any different at primary school the parents evening i noticed that my parents were both quite abit shorter than the rest of my friends.When mum or dad picked me up from school i couldnt see them till most of the others were picked up.Then in high school i was always a couple of inches shorter than the boys i never caught up to them.Most children my height were either girls in my year or some taller younger years.I was always knocked while walking down the corridor to classes.One boy thought it was funny putting my schoolbag up high so i couldnt reach it.I was laughed at when i tried to jump and reach it no chance.I was always getting the patting on my head as i walked past and the kids thought it funny calling me littlelegs or halfpint both riddiculous names i thought.I am nearly 18 now and my adult height is 4'10.My clothes are aged 13/14 is i am lucky otherwise i can get away with aged 12.My shoes are only a size 3 and i have to go to the junior section to buy them.I have met a few woman who dont seem to mind my height but they tend to be around 5'5 to 5'9 never any shorter.I have given up with short woman has i always get the same response that they want someone taller.I would love to meet a nice short woman.
- Jason Connolly, basildon essex, 03/04/2010 13:43
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I find it harder now that when i was younger being short.I was the shortest in my family of 6 kids.I just put it down to being the youngest and they got all the height gene.My mum was 5'2 and my dad was 5'4.So not tall parents.My siblings ranged from 5'0 to 5'6.Me on the other hand only graced a height of 4'9 i never grew after my 14 birthday.At school it was fine has some of my classmates were only a couple of inches taller than me.They all grew taller over the years and i was the same as many schoolkids in the lower years.I am now 58 years old and at my physical i was weighed at being normal for my height which i always watched my height has being short made you look funny if you were overweight.My height i was surprised to be told was only 4'7 i had lost 2 inches since school.I always thought that i was getting shorter over the years little things like clothes needing to be taken up more and and noticing my husband having abit more height than me.My daughter took after our daughters height was 4'10 and our son was 5'4.I know that when i am out shopping i get starred at and young kids try to sneek up to see if they are taller most of them are but it feels intimidating when this happens.Take a couple of weeks ago i was out shopping on my own and i had this woman she seemed to be following me as i went up and down the aisles.Now i dont usually see many adults my height and when she was beside me i just said to her IT'S A RIGHT PAIN BEING SHORT HEY she nodded and went off.
- Petra Williams, hertfordshire England, 03/04/2010 13:29
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I'm 5'8" (which isn't that bad) and 16. Yeah I've always sort of had a bit of inferiority complex around others who are taller than me. But I mean I have a friend who's a good few inches shorter, but is bounding with confidence (confidence can mean arrogance sometimes) and is generally a nice guy. But he tends to be quite ill alot and suffers from severe exma and has to take alot of medication. So perhaps he's an example here?
I dunno I think the way you think of yourself and how you think others think you greatly affects how you act. I mean I'm totally the opposite from my shorter friend.
- Sam ^^, United Kingdom, 05/02/2010 23:02
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I believe that being short is a problem that other people have with shorter people - not short people themselves. I have been shorter than most for 63 years (5ft 3ins now) and don't generally have an issue with it unless it becomes someone else's problem. Trevor Roll is a perfect example of this.
- Dave, Blackpool, England., 04/08/2009 18:35
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It seems weird that most people refer to a short person's attitude as a Napoleon complex. Napoleon was 5'7" and well above average height for people of his time. People's perception of height is much more of a factor than actual height.
- Paul, Chicago, IL, 19/07/2009 12:28
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Actually, research has shown that shorter women have better luck in relationships than taller ones. Shortness in women indicates fertility (they reach puberty quicker than taller women), which men instinctively find attractive. Makes me glad I'm 4'11"!
Also, I think this shoulder-chip is just a stereotype. People seem to think that all short people are bitter. I'm not bitter at all, and I've known lots of short people and only ever found one of them to be bitter and angry about their height.
- Tess, UK, 11/05/2009 01:56
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Being short isnt the end of the world.I have not got a chip on my shoulder and yes tall people are mainly arrogant.I am 56 years old and barely 5'0 tall my wife is 5'6 and i run my own business.I have alot of tall guys working for me and they think all the time there is a promotion i am gonna promote them because they expect it.No i dont work like that when a short guys and a tall guy goes for the job 9/10 a short guy will get it.Has they work alot better than the other guy.
I have 2 sons and a daughter now sadly for my sons they got my height so they are both 5'2 and 5'4 whereas our daughter she got my wifes height she
- Lewis Curren, Essex England, 21/02/2009 11:51
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Does this study reflect on adults only, and im not gonna judge this because everyone has a biast point of a view on it. Im 15 and im like 5'4 and I dont have a "chip" on my shoulder. i dont really understand what this is proving, the unhealthy thing is bullshit, Mr. DeVito clearly has a bit of dwarfism in his family so is this little study only talking about dwarfs? And if it is then.....well seems like a bunch of dumb people are trying to state the obvious...
- Christian, Victoria Canada, 21/02/2009 00:49
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My erstwhile despicable lazy friend Andy, who is 4' 6" short and with a shoe size of 13, had a typical short mans attitude, being jealous, up-tight, crabby, forever having health problems and would ponce or steal from me at the nearest opportunity. Even his wife (5' 7" tall) who he regularly bullied left him for someone her own height.
P.S. I am 6' 4".
- Peter., Cambs, 14/08/2008 11:29
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I think this report is rubbish. I am 5'4" and am married with 3 children. Life is good. I have a successful career as well. I think some taller people expect me to have an inferiority complex because I am "short." I do not have this inferiority, and this doesn't meet people's expectations. The inevitable "Napoleon" complex comments soon follow; like Trevor's thinking.
- Dennis, London, 18/10/2007 18:27
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Being 5' 5" myself, I have experienced some of the problems associated with small stature. The "chip on the shoulder" accusation comes from our reaction to very real prejudices against short people. For instance, I was denied the opportunity to interview with a job with IBM in 1958 because they had a 5' 8" height requirement. Nevertheless, I have coped with being short for 68 years and have a very good life, physically, emotionally, and financially. Eventually, people forget your height when you prove to be capable and helpful. I was in sales all my life and had no problems succeding.
- Robert Taylor, United States, 18/10/2007 17:40
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Rubbish. My wife is 6' and I am 5'6". Married 25 years and everyday is better.
- Mike, Raleigh NC, 18/10/2007 17:11
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And they tend to be short-tempered, as well!
- James Deppeler, Brielle, New Jersey, USA, 18/10/2007 16:49
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Not being the biggest of chaps, and not having a chip at all, tall people can be very arrogant!
- Stuart, UK, 18/10/2007 14:52
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Did you know on average shorter people are richer though.
But saying that this article is no surprise, for short men we have to grow up with the image of a man has to be 'tall, dark and handsome'. I'm sure if they did a survey against size 8 woman and size 14 woman you would find similar trends, but I bet no one would say the size 14 woman has a "chip on her shoulder".
- Ben, London, UK, 18/10/2007 13:13
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Ah, yes, good old short man syndrome, the propensity to be so belligerent about ones own height that you feel obliged to start fights with anyone taller than you, I know quite a few sufferers.
- Trevor Roll, London, 18/10/2007 10:26
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