Do tall men get all the breaks?

Taller adults tend to hold jobs of higher status and earn more money. Men in the U.S. seem to be getting taller. The National Center for Health Statistics reported that the average height of men aged 20 to 70 years grew from about 5 feet 8 inches in 1960 to 5 feet 9.5 inches in 2002. While this height increase may seem like a boon for men, it may not be good news for those of shorter stature. Short men may battle long-held perceptions that being tall means you are more attractive, dominant and even more fertile.

In the animal kingdom, larger males are more likely to dominate, win fights and monopolize access to females. That "animal instinct" may have carried over to humans, especially in the workplace. Better jobs and pay? Taller adults tend to hold jobs of higher status and earn more money.

 Research dating back to 1915 shows that executives are often taller than the men who report to them. The leadership-to-height link extends to other fields as well. In academia, one study found that the average height of full professors was almost a half inch taller than associate professors. It was also about three quarters of an inch taller than assistant professors.

Height also seems to correlate with job status in developed countries. In the U.S. and the United Kingdom, taller workers are found in more highly skilled jobs. American men in white collar occupations average one inch taller than men in blue collar jobs.

Taller people have higher average incomes and earnings, too. Each one-inch increase in height over the average brings a 2 percent to 2.5 percent increase in income.

On the social front, studies have found that taller men may get more replies to dating requests, have more physically attractive girlfriends and more reproductive success.