Height is a physical attribute that is embedded into one's DNA and a characteristic unique in people coming from different genetic backgrounds. But a recent study suggests that it can now be used to determine how likely a person would develop certain diseases.

According to the study published online in The Lancet: Diabetes & Endocrinology on Jan. 2, human height can be used to tell if a person is at greater risk of developing cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

The study was conducted by researchers at the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) in collaboration with U.S. researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health. Over the years, scientists have observed that adult height has significantly increased in different countries in recent generations.

For instance, children are "almost always significantly taller than their parents" when they grow up as adults. To understand why, the researchers analyzed why there is a significant increase in people's height and what effects they have on health.

Data from the study show that in every 6.5 centimeters of height, a person's risk of death from heart disease drops by six percent, but the risk of death from cancer increases by four percent.

The findings suggest that although diet rich in calories and animal fat can fuel growth in people, it also makes them more prone to developing cancer later on.

In contrast, this "overnutrition" influences bodily processes that can impact health positively and negatively. For instance, it can increase a person's sensitivity to insulin, which then becomes a plus side because it can lead to lower fat deposits in the liver and reduce type 2 diabetes and heart disease risk. Previous studies have also found that taller people are less susceptible to heart diseases compared to short people.

With these recent findings, study authors suggest that height should be used by doctors to determine a person's risk of developing cancer.