Leg length is associated with lower values of inflammatory markers in older Chinese: The Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study

Background: In developed western populations, longer legs are a biomarker of better childhood conditions and negatively associated with cardiovascular disease risk factors. These associations are less obvious in non-western settings. However, early life is also a key immune system development phase. Aim: To examine the associations of height, leg length, sitting height and leg length/sitting height ratio with inflammatory markers (white blood, lymphocyte and granulocyte cell counts and C-reactive protein (CRP)) in a developing population of southern China. Subjects and methods: This study used multivariable linear regression to examine the adjusted associations in 30499 Chinese (50+ years). Results: Height z-score was associated with lower white blood, lymphocyte and granulocyte cell counts. Leg length z-score was associated with lower white blood, lymphocyte and granulocyte cell counts and CRP. Sitting height z-score was associated with lower white blood and granulocyte cell counts, but not with lymphocyte cell count or CRP. Leg length/sitting height ratio z-score was associated with lower white blood, lymphocyte and granulocyte cell counts and CRP. Conclusion: Factors enabling more early growth may also lead to changes in immunity that are associated with reduced CVD risk.