Does height affect muscle mass?

Height does affect muscle mass and its appearance on the body. Shorter individuals often find it easier to look muscular compared to taller individuals due to differences in body structure and calorie requirements. Taller people generally need to consume more calories due to their larger body mass, and muscle gains are spread over a larger area, making them appear less pronounced 1.

Adding to the complexity, Shane Fishburn, while discussing the relationship between height, leverage, and muscle appearance, notes that shorter people generally have better leverage for certain exercises like squats. This results in muscle gains that may appear more pronounced, whereas taller individuals often have to deal with more spread out muscle gains due to their larger surface area 2.