ABSTRACT
The major changes of old age are loss of height and bone density; redistribution, recomposition, and eventual decline in weight; and continued growth of the skull and cartilage. Head and face changes are similar in men and women. Skull bones and cartilage continue to grow with age; the jawbone decreases in height but increases in width, and the earlobes and nose grow longer. The jawbone shortens in height but increases in width; the fingers grow longer, and both the skull and the abdomen increase in diameter. Reproductive function ceases in women. Gastrointestinal function does not decline with age, but complaints of constipation and gas production increase. It is well established that healthy old persons have hemoglobin and hematocrit values within the range of younger persons. One definition of aging refers to an increasing vulnerability to disease and other bodily insults in aging individuals. Dietary inadequacies in early and middle adulthood predispose individuals to disease in their older years.
