According to a study published in American Journal of Human Biology, height is positively related to life satisfaction in 27 post-communist nations. In other words, taller individuals are relatively more satisfied with life.
Studies of the relationship between height and life satisfaction have already been conducted in developed countries. Most of them show that height and life satisfaction are positively associated. However, only few studies have been focused on developing countries. In addition, previous studies have investigated the effect of height on life satisfaction in a single country.
The study lead by Nazim Habibov, Rong Luo, Alena Auchynnikava (University of Windsor), and Lida Fan (Lakehead University) was the first attempt to investigate the relationship between height and life satisfaction in 27 transitional countries (Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan).
The researchers surveyed about 1,500 respondents from each of these countries. To assess their life satisfaction, respondents were asked to answer the question “To what extent do you agree with the following statement: All things considered, I am satisfied with my life now?”
The possible answers vary from 1 = “Strongly disagree” to 5 =”Strongly agree.” Also, respondents answered the questions about their age, gender, income, education level, religiosity, marital status, number of children, and health status.
The obtained results showed that height was positively related to life satisfaction. Also, there was found to be a positive association between height and satisfaction with one’s financial situation.
At the time, the research data showed that marital status, health, income, education level, and age were stronger predictors of life satisfaction than height. Married people were more satisfied with life than those who live alone. Both health and income were positively related to life satisfaction. Higher education was positively associated with life satisfaction. The relationship between age and life satisfaction was U-shaped. In other words, younger and older people were more satisfied with life than middle-aged people.
Also, such factors as poverty level, economic freedom, and democracy level were stronger related to life satisfaction than height.
Despite the fact that height is not the most important factor of life satisfaction, all other things being equal, taller people are more satisfied with life as compared with relatively shorter individuals.
The study, “Height and life satisfaction: Evidence from 27 nations“, was authored by Nazim Habibov, Rong Luo, Alena Auchynnikava, and Lida Fan.
