The relationship of bone mineral density(BMD) to age and weight was investigated in a cross-sectional study of 942 community-dwelling men and women aged 65–74 years. BMD continues to decline after the age of 65 at a similiar rate in men and women. BMD was positively associated with weight in both men and women with similar regression slopes; approximetely one third of the decline in BMD with age could be explained by the associated age-related decline in weight. Maintaining weight in later life may prevent some of the age-related decline in bone mass apply similary in men and women at these older ages: there is no evidence for accelerated decline in women in this age group