As we get older, we get shorter. But our height is not the only thing that shrinks with age. Most people lose at least about 1 cm in height every decade after the age of 40. By teh age of 80, most people will be 5 - 8 cm shorter. From about the age of 35, we start to lose calcium within our bones which together with our ability to replace bone tissue causes our bones to shrink and become more brittle - a condition known as osteoporosis. As well as the bones shrinking, height loss is also caused by the flattening of the discs between the vertebrae.




