A new study has found that people with shorter DNA have an increase in their risk of developing heart problems. According to the study done at the University of Leicester, the shorter you are the higher your risk grows.

The study looked at the health of 200,000 people and compared factors such as heart health risk and their heights. They found that for every 2.5 inches of height, the risks of developing coronary disease was cut by 13.5 percent.

Coronary heart disease includes both heart attacks and heart failure. More than 73,000 people die from coronary heart disease each year and it remains the number one cause of death in the UK.

There has been speculation about the link between height and heart problems before, but researchers could not determine what the actual link could be. Now they seem to have found an answer, explaining that it is the DNA itself that is leading to problems.

There are 180 different genes that are linked to height, and the researchers also found that people with shorter genes had more cholesterol and fat in their bloodstream.

Professor Peter Weissberg, the medical director at the British Heart Foundation, expressed his thoughts about the findings.

“This study does not suggest that short people should be unduly worried about their health or that doctors need to focus on the health of shorter patients,” he began.

“Everyone, regardless of their height, should do everything in their power to reduce their risk of future heart disease by eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly and not smoking. Currently available health checks are designed to help you understand what measures you need to take to reduce your personal risk.”

Other factors like smoking are considered much higher risk factors than something like height, but the study is a reminder that everyone should consider the risks and choose healthy ways of living whenever possible.