Being short increases a person's chances of dying from dementia, according to Scottish researchers.

Men under 5ft 6in were 50 per cent more likely to suffer death from Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia than those taller than 5ft 10in, a team led by Edinburgh University have revealed.

Women were less at risk, but those shorter than 5ft 1in were still 35 per cent more likely to have their lives ended by the disease than those taller than 5ft 5in.

Scientists analysed findings from 18 population studies with more than 180,000 participants, comparing the risk of dying from dementia for the tallest and shortest men and women.

Study leader Dr Tom Russ, from the University of Edinburgh, said: "The association between height and dementia death remained when we took into account early life or adult socio-economic status

"Other relevant factors taken into consideration included obesity, smoking, cardiovascular disease risk factors, along with long-standing illness."