Lots of studies show that tall men have an advantage over their smaller counterparts. They’re more likely to “get the girl” and the job – and make more money while they’re at it. But here’s something that might cut the big guy down to size: A new study shows that the risk of developing dangerous blood clots deep in veins increases with a man’s height. And if he’s overweight, it’s even more troublesome.
The new study, conducted at the University of Tromso in Norway, tracked the height and weight of more than 26,000 adults in the city. The result indicated that tall, obese men are more than five times likelier than short, normal weight men to develop venous thromboembolism (VTE), a potentially lethal condition marked by blood deep vein blood clots (usually in the legs) and blood clotting in the lungs (pulmonary embolism). The research was published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.
In the U.S., more than 275,000 people each year are hospitalized with deep vein clots or pulmonary embolism, according to the American Heart Association. Even though obesity has long been known to be a risk factor for VTE, as have recent surgery, cigarette smoking, using oral contraceptives, having a family history of the condition, and sitting for an extended periods of time like on long airplane trips – why should being tall put guys at risk?
