Can You Lose Weight and Gain Height?

For most people, losing weight isn't going to make a difference in your height. The exercise you put in to do it, though, might. The improved posture gained from regular, functional exercise can make you look noticeably taller.

However, if you have obesity losing a significant amount of weight may leave you standing a little taller.

The best scientific evidence of height gains after losing weight comes from a study conducted by Israeli neurosurgeon Zvi Lidar and colleagues. Published in 2012, the study was intended to document changes in intervertebral disc height after weight reduction in people with severe obesity. The researchers noted that "disc height restoration after weight reduction was significant." They noted an increase of about 2 mm in just one intervertebral disc, between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae.

Even if you don't lose enough weight to gain a few millimeters of height back, even a modest weight loss can provide significant health benefits. A weight loss of 5 to 10 percent is enough to improve blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Research indicates that you may even increase your longevity, too -- so in a real sense, losing weight can mean taking back a part of your life.