Today's useless fact - Do people really shrink as they age?

Well, if we believed our parents, they were all well over 6 feet tall in their prime, and have only shrunk to their current modest height due to the aging process.

According to most links we visited, people do indeed shrink gradually as they age, though it usually amounts to only an inch or so of height. According to one link, between the ages of 30 to 70, a man may lose about three centimeters as he ages, while a woman may lose five. As you grow older, you tend to lose both muscle and fat. You begin to feel the weight of gravity as your bones end up pressing closely together, resulting in a loss of height.

A major culprit of the shrinking process is osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is the result of the spongy tissue inside the bones breaking down and not being replaced by new bone tissue. This condition usually plagues women and those with smaller, lighter bones. How can you avoid osteoporosis? Eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and don't drink, smoke, or take steroids. Certain conditions, such as hyperthyroidism and anorexia nervosa, can also increase bone loss.

Not only do you shrink as you age, you also shrink during the course of a day. The water in your spine is compressed by gravity so you finish the day a bit smaller in stature than you started it. However, your body recovers overnight as you sleep, so you are standing tall again in the morning. Check out the links in our Aging category for more.