Adult height is a summary measure of health and net nutrition in early childhood. This study examines the association between height and quality-of-life outcomes in older adults (50+) in India. Cross-sectional data from Wave 1 of the World Health Organization (WHO) Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) conducted in 2007 were analysed. The association between height and quality of life was assessed using bivariate and multivariate logistic and linear regression models. The mean WHO quality-of-life score (WHO-QoL) increased from 45.2 among the older adults in the lowest height quintile to 53.2 for those in the highest height quintile. However, the prevalence of self-rated poor quality of life declined from 16.4% in the lowest height quintile to 6.1% in the highest height quintile. In the fully adjusted regression model, height was found to be positively associated with quality-of-life outcomes among both men and women, independent of socioeconomic and physical health confounders. The association was particularly strong for women. Women in the highest height quintile had a 2.65 point higher WHO-QoL score than those in the lowest height quintile. Similarly, the likelihood of reporting a poor quality of life was lower among women in the highest height quintile. Furthermore, measures of economic status, handgrip strength, cognitive ability and poor self-rated health were significantly associated with WHO-QoL and self-rated poor quality of life. Overall, this study revealed a significant association between height and quality of life among older adults in India, suggesting a significant role of childhood circumstances in quality of life in later life.

成人身高是幼儿期健康和净营养的综合衡量标准。本研究调查了印度老年人（50 岁以上）身高与生活质量之间的关系。对 2007 年世界卫生组织 (WHO) 全球老龄化和成人健康研究 (SAGE) 第 1 波的横断面数据进行了分析。使用双变量和多元逻辑回归模型评估身高和生活质量之间的关联。世界卫生组织平均生活质量评分（WHO-QoL）从身高最低五分之一的老年人的 45.2 增至身高最高五分之一的老年人的 53.2。然而，自评生活质量差的患病率从身高最低五分之一的 16.4% 下降到身高最高五分之一的 6.1%。在完全调整的回归模型中，发现身高与男性和女性的生活质量呈正相关，独立于社会经济和身体健康的混杂因素。这种关联对于女性来说尤其强烈。身高最高五分之一的女性的 WHO-QoL 得分比身高最低五分之一的女性高 2.65 分。同样，身高最高的五分之一的女性报告生活质量较差的可能性也较低。此外，经济状况、握力、认知能力和不良自评健康状况的衡量标准与 WHO-QoL 和自评不良生活质量显着相关。总体而言，这项研究揭示了印度老年人的身高与生活质量之间存在显着关联，表明童年环境对以后生活质量的重要作用。