Height, Weight, Tuberculous Infection, and Tuberculous Disease

Abstract

Investigation of body build and its relation to prior tuberculous infection and to subsequent tuberculous disease was carried out among 823,199 recruits who entered the navy from 1958 through 1967. Results confirm earlier studies which showed that body build is associated with tuberculosis. Morbidity Increased with height and decreased with weight. In addition, physique is not associated with the likelihood of becoming infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The very substantial association between body build and tuberculosis is concentrated on the susceptibility of the individual to develop recognizable disease after he has been infected. Morbidity is over three times greater for underweight than for overweight men, while the frequency of infection in the two groups is the same. It is suggested that body build and susceptibility to developing tuberculous disease are interrelated familial or stock traits.