Slower you grow, the longer you live: study

“It has already been documented in humans, for example, that rapid growth in early childhood is associated with a greater risk of developing ailments later in life such as cardiovascular disease in middle or old age, possibly because of the way in which the tissues of a fast-grown heart are laid down,” Metcalfe said.

Earlier attempts to test links between growth rates and lifespan by altering diet proved inconclusive because the results could have been affected by the diet itself rather than its effect on growth.