WHENEVER I am asked my height, I say 5ft 11in. Never 6ft. That’s because I’ve always believed that men who say 6ft, often without invitation, probably aren’t really 6ft but hope that bluster will cloak their inadequacy.

On the other hand, by saying 5ft 11in, especially in front of a woman – and generally it’s only women who ever ask you anyway – I normally get the following reply: “No, you must be at least 6ft. Now come on, modesty really doesn’t become you.”

But does size really matter? Well, believe it or not, in terms of salary at least, yes it does.

Research in the US a few years back concluded that an inch in height is worth approximately $789 (£495) a year in extra wages.

Which means a person who is 6ft tall but otherwise identical to someone who is 5ft 5in will make on average $5,525 (£3,460) more per year.

Fascinating isn't it. And astonishingly unfair.

But that caveman mentality still carries a clear echo, even into the 21st century.

I am probably 6ft 1in, give or take the wooliness of my socks, but those socks can make a big difference when waiting to be served at a bar.

Apparently, I will be served faster, not because I can be seen better by the staff, but faster because the staff will consider me more dominant.

Consequently it’s hardly any surprise to discover that men are oh-so-more sensitive about their height than women women (and as far as I know, no such discrimination or prejudice exists between them).

On a tacky personal note, however, I’d like to state that I find very tall women devastatingly attractive, simply because you clearly get more for your money.

That said though, one friend of mine breaks out in spots if I suggest a tall woman might be just what he needs.

“Christ no,” he exclaims, “what a sure-fire invitation for getting bullied?”

Curiously, one of the downsides of being tall – as a man – is that you become very sensitive about your feet (tall women, I understand, are similarly sensitive about their shoulders).

The number of times someone has nudged me playfully in the ribs and said “Well, you know what they say about men with big feet, don’t you? Apparently it’s inversely proportional to the size of your...” (and no, I don’t think I have to complete this sentence).

Indeed, on this precise issue, a very tall guy I know (6ft 5in) refuses to shower at the sports centre because he’s fed up of his mates ‘checking’...

Being tall, then, is no guarantee of a happy or healthy life, even if it does mean you get served quicker at the bar on a Saturday night.

I guess what really makes it all worthwhile is how you’re treated in hospital. A friend of mine, a ward sister, insists she and her colleagues prefer treating taller men, simply because “they look better in pyjamas”.

So, if you’re 5ft 2in and awaiting an op on your appendix, I’d start worrying about your level of care right now.