Is it Normal to Shrink in Height When You Lose Weight?

Because your height is determined by your skeleton and not your body fat, you should not lose height with weight. However, some people have experienced a reduction of height, which is usually discovered during a visit to the doctor's office. Changes in height may be explained through some common causes.

Varying Measurements

Scales do not give perfect measurements each time you use them, so you track your weight over time to look for trends. Height is the same way. Measurements can vary depending on who is doing the measuring. Also, if you slouch or lean forward, you may affect the measurement.

Aging

Researchers have found that adults may lose a small amount of height after age 40, which according to MedlinePlus amounts to only 1 cm per decade. After age 70, height loss may accelerate. However, height loss amounts to about 1 to 3 inches through a person's lifetime. Therefore, large height changes over the course of a few years are unusual.

Osteoporosis

Losing weight may have health benefits, but unhealthy weight-loss methods can put women at risk for osteoporosis. Gina Shaw of WebMD says risks to bone health include crash diets that are deficient in nutrients, especially calcium. However, height is not an adequate measurement to detect nutrition deficiency or early osteoporosis. Your height may remain the same, but you may still be at risk for osteoporosis.

Height Fluctuations

Research on spinal compression indicates that height will decrease slightly after sitting, lifting and other activities that compress cartilage discs in the spine. This is a normal function, and the discs serve as shock absorbers that provide flexibility in the back.