Walk tall and shrink death risk

HEIGHT loss in old age raises the risk of an early death, a study claims.

Each two-fifths of an inch of shrinkage suggests 21 per cent greater odds of earlier mortality from any cause, rising to 80 per cent for those who lose more than that figure.

Height loss was also linked to a more than doubling in the odds of death from stroke and cardiovascular disease in the Scandinavian study of 2,400 women.

Dr Sofia Klingberg, of Gothenburg University, said: “These findings suggest the need for increased attention to height loss to identify those at increased cardiovascular risk.”

She said exercise may help not only prevent heart problems but shrinkage as well.

Height loss is usually caused by vertebral disc shrinkage, spinal compression fractures, and changes in posture.

The study, carried out over 19 years, was published in the journal BMJ Open.