Leg length link to liver disease

People with shorter legs are at increased risk of liver disease, new research suggests.

A study involving more than 3,000 women found that those with shorter legs were more likely to have higher levels of four liver enzymes which indicate how well the organ is working.

The research, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, contributes to a growing body of evidence of the link between leg length and health.

Almost 4,300 women between the ages of 60 and 79 were randomly selected from 23 British towns for the study. Their standing and seated height were measured, including leg and trunk length, and blood samples taken to measure the levels of four enzymes, ALT, GGT, AST and ALP.

These enzymes give indications of how well the liver is functioning and whether it has been damaged. One, ALP, is also an indicator of bone diseases such as osteoporosis.

The women were also asked about their medical history, lifestyle and social class. Complete information was collected from just over 3,600 of the women.

The study was carried out by the Department of Social Medicine at the University of Bristol and the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

The researchers found that the longer a woman's legs were, the lower the levels of ALT, GGT and ALP. In particular, ALT levels were lowest among those with the longest legs.

And the enzymes ALT and ALP were highest among those women with the shortest trunk length. These findings were still true even after adjustments for factors such as age, childhood social class, adult alcohol consumption, exercise and smoking.

The authors concluded that childhood exposure to things like good nutrition, which influence growth, also influence liver development and therefore the levels of liver enzymes in adulthood. A greater height may help to boost the size of the liver, which can decrease the enzyme levels.

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