Beyond Hormones: Researchers Define X and Y Chromosome Contributions to Height

Beyond hormones: Researchers define X and Y chromosome contributions to height

A new study provides new insight into height differences between adult men and women, demonstrating that Y chromosome genes contribute more to height than their X chromosome counterparts.

It is an inescapable fact of today that men are, on average, taller than women, while women are, on average, shorter than men. The difference is about 13 centimeters on average.

Y chromosome found to play key role in making men taller than women

Height is one of the most evident sex-based differences observed in humans, as men are on an average 13 cm (5 inches) taller than women. Sex hormones certainly play a significant role in driving this dimorphism, but they are not the only factors at play.

'Definitely Cool' Study Digs Into Male-Female Height Gap

Why are men, on average, taller than women? A massive new genetic study reveals how a single gene may account for a slice of the difference. The SHOX gene has been thought to influence height—but since it's present on both X and Y chromosomes, researchers could only hypothesize that...

Scientists Find Gene That Helps Explain Why Men Are Taller Than Women

Key Takeaways

Men are taller than women, an average of about 13 cm. But why? It is not a genetic inevitability: there are many species in the genealogical tree where females outperform males. A new study, published on Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, which included genetic data from a million people, has found a partial explanation. It involves a gene called SHOX, known for its association with stature. SHOX is present both on th…