Thursday, August 03, 2006

Shrinking Stature


President Bush is shrinking, reported his doctors after his physical exam on Tuesday, just like most other aging people.

In an article published on Slate yesterday, Daniel Engber explains that men usually start shrinking around 30. Unfortunately, women are not exempt.

The reason for the loss of stature is because the fluid-filled discs between the vertebrae start to lose their water, compressing over time. Then the bones have less space between them, so they press together and start to deteriorate. These factors take fractions of inches off of a person's height each year, according to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Even though it may not be a comforting thought to know that you will probably shrink as you get older, at least there is an explanation. It could be worse. Your approval ratings could be shrinking, too.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Bush is slowly becoming The Shrub!