Researchers at the Center for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto observed the height difference by analyzing the files of more than 1,000 men assessed for pedophilia or other sexual disorders from 1995 to 2006 at the Kurt Freund Laboratory in Toronto.

The study, published in Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, suggests pedophiles may have been exposed to pre-birth conditions that affected their physical development.

"This research does not mean that pedophiles are not criminally responsible for their behavior, but the discovery of biological markers for pedophilia has important implications for future study and possibly treatment," study leader Dr. James Cantor said in a statement.

The same research team had earlier found pedophiles have lower intelligence, are three times more likely to be left-handed, failed school grades significantly more frequently and suffered more head injuries as children.