SIZING IT UP

How our body measurements can change over time

This week: We shrink as we age

FROM the age of 30, we naturally lose height as the muscles start to weaken, the discs in the spine begin to flatten and bone density falls.

These factors knock off an average of 5cm from men and 8cm from women by the time they reach 80, according to research published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. However, lifestyle plays a role. Smokers and those who drink too much alcohol lose more height than those with more healthy habits. Conversely, a study from the Wingate Institute in Israel in 2000 found that those who worked out regularly — particularly in middle age — lost about half as much height as those who didn’t exercise, though it’s unclear why. Sudden height loss can also be a sign of osteoporosis — crumbly bones — so it should be investigated.