title: Height and mental health and health utility among ethnic Chinese in a polyclinic sample in Singapore.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Whether fi nal height is associated with quality of life and mental health is a matter of epidemiological and medical concern. Both social and biological explanations have been previously proposed. This study aims to assess the associations in ethnic Chinese in Singapore.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study of 4414 respondents aged at least 21 years seen at a major polyclinic was performed. Socioeconomic and behavioural features of the sample and the Singapore population of similar ages were comparable. Height was measured by clinic nurses using an ultrasonic height senor. Participants were interviewed for socioeconomic, behavioural, health and quality of life information. Clinical morbidity data was collected from the participants' treating physicians. The SF-6D utility index and its Mental Health domain were the main endpoints. Linear and ordinal logistic regression models were used to analyse the utility index and the Mental Health scores, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Having adjusted for age and gender, the Mental Health domain (P <0.01) was associated with height but the utility index was not. Further adjustment for health, socioeconomic and behavioural covariates made little difference. Analyses based on height categories showed similar trends.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adult height has a positive association with mental health as measured by the SF-6D among ethnic Chinese in Singapore. Socioeconomic status and known physical health problems do not explain this association. Adult height had no association with SF-6D utility index scores.
authors.affiliation: Office of Clinical Sciences, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore. yinbun.cheung@scri.edu.sg
authors.forename: Yin Bun
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Hwee Lin
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Wee
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Chee Beng
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Kok Yong
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Fong
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thumboo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001827:Body Height / Q000208:ethnology*; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult