But as you became an adult, did you suddenly notice that they started getting even shorter? Did you ever consider why?

The fact is that your female relatives may very well have lost several inches in height. They could, indeed, be shrinking . . .

The medical community used to think that on average, a woman would lose between 2 1/2 and eight inches of her height in her late adulthood. Now medical experts are realizing that it can be prevented.

Osteoporosis appears to be the main culprit in this phenomenon. Even though both men and women get osteoporosis, it is more women that have the noticeable side effects. So is there any way to prevent this from happening to you? Yes - have a regular fitness program and take calcium supplements.

If you are 40 years old or over - it is vital that fitness is part of your daily routine. In order to stay at your current height, it is important to retain your bone mass and this can be done through exercise. By exercising regularly, you will reduce your risk of developing a large number of health issues involving your cardiovascular system and even cancer or diabetes.

If you are going to get fit and make it a part of your routine, you must do it in such a way that will bring you pleasure and not be a chore. Set yourself up for success. First think about what you enjoy doing, it can be walking your dog, jogging, going for a bike ride or sweating to the oldies! If you need more discipline, find a buddy to do it with you or get a personal trainer to keep you on task.

Consider, though, some type of weight-bearing exercise. This type of activity helps build the strength of bones through the stimulation of the mineralization and remodelling process. Every major muscle in your body is attached to an underlying bone by tendons. Each time you contract a muscle, a force is exerted on that bone. Any activity, in fact, that builds muscle also places stress on your bone and helps to build bone mass.

Although any activity such as t'ai chi or even yoga can build bone mass, the best way is through actual weight lifting. And no, you do not have to be the female version of Arnold Schwarzenegger to get the benefits.

The results of this study conducted by Miriam Nelson, Ph.D. of Tufts University will give you a good idea of what an amazing impact this exercise can have on your body and your life.

Dr. Nelson took two groups of post-menopausal women. Neither group were taking hormone replacement therapy nor was either group already enrolled in a fitness program at the start of the study.

One group began a basic weight lifting program, twice a week for 40 minutes at a time. The other group remained inactive. The women who lifted weights greatly improved their strength tests after one year. In fact, they had scores which matched women in their late 30s and early 40s. In addition, almost all the women lost inches from their body and lost weight without changes to their diets.

However the most telling result in the women was how they chose to spend their free time. Those who had begun the simple fitness program one year before were now much more active in other areas in their life - dancing, in-line skating and doing things that they had only dreamed of doing before.

As we reach 40 years of age and older, fitness becomes more and more important not only to our health but to enriching our lives. The key is to select one or two activities that you really enjoy that will keep you fit and do them regularly. The more active you are - the stronger your bones will stay - and the taller you will stand in your life.