Scientists have found that a specific part of our DNA, located on chromosome 12, is linked to how tall adults grow, and now they think this same DNA area might also play a role in why some children are much shorter than expected for no clear reason.

Scientists found a specific spot on chromosome 12 that seems to be linked to why some kids are much shorter than average, and this spot is right next to a gene that helps the body use vitamin D.

A specific gene variation called rs10735810 might be behind as much as one in three cases of unexplained short height in kids, based on studies of families where this trait runs in the bloodline.

Some kids who are much shorter than average might have a specific gene change that makes it more likely they’ll be short — and this gene change is passed down more often to those kids.

People who naturally have more vitamin D in their blood tend to be taller as adults, and this link comes from our genes—not because vitamin D makes you grow taller, but because the same genes that affect vitamin D also affect how tall you get.

People with certain inherited gene differences that affect how their body uses vitamin D tend to be taller or shorter as adults, which suggests that having the right amount of vitamin D over a lifetime might help bones grow better than taking vitamin D pills for a short time.