Many people struggle to keep their weight in check as they get older. Now new research has uncovered why that is: lipid turnover in the fat tissue decreases during aging and makes it easier to gain weight, even if we don't eat more or exercise less than before.
As we age we naturally tend to gain weight, to the tune of 1 to 2 pounds (lb) per year, according to a review by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Our metabolism becomes slower and less efficient over time
Since we naturally lose muscle as we age, a decrease in muscle mass also slows down our overall metabolism; as previously mentioned, less muscle means fewer calories needed. Failure to adjust our calorie intake will lead to weight gain.
Why We Gain Weight As We Age It starts sometime during our 50s and 60s: that belly bulge, those "extra" pounds we just can't seem to shed. Part of it is simply the biology of our bodies. Our muscles literally shrink as we age, and that means more calories turn into fat — and it's a lot harder to exercise it off.
Many women notice an increase in belly fat as they get older even if they don't gain weight. This is likely due to a lower level of estrogen because estrogen seems to have an effect on where fat is located in the body.
We also lose height as the discs between our vertebrae compress, shrinking the vertical space in our abdominal cavity and expanding it outward. Finally, the loss of estrogen after menopause causes a slight shift of fat to the abdominal region.
Although the prevalence of obesity increases with age, weight gain is actually greatest across the younger years of adult life — late twenties and thirties — and diminishes gradually over time as adults get older, says Tucker.
Men often gain weight until about age 55, and then begin to lose weight later in life. This may be related to a drop in the male sex hormone testosterone. Women usually gain weight until age 65, and then begin to lose weight.
Bloating, or swelling due to a buildup of fluid in the tissues can cause weight gain. This may be due to menstruation, heart or kidney failure, preeclampsia, or medicines you take. A rapid weight gain may be a sign of dangerous fluid retention. If you quit smoking, you might gain weight.
Causes of weight gain in midlife
On average, women aged between 45 and 55 years gain around half a kilo per year. As you get older, you lose muscle mass, which slows your metabolism and causes weight gain. So if your diet doesn't change, you are likely to gain weight.
You Might Be Eating Too Little
This phenomenon is called “starvation mode,” and while your body isn't actually starving, it will naturally hold onto whatever calories it receives in an effort to help you maintain your energy balance.
Why is it harder to lose weight as you get older? As you get older you lose muscle. This has a bigger impact than simply losing muscle definition and tone. Muscle actually burns more calories than fat, so having less muscle means it's harder to use the calories you're eating.
One of the primary reasons losing weight is harder to do as you grow older is due to a slowing metabolism. It is estimated that your metabolism slows down 5% every decade after you turn 40. This can occur because of the loss of muscle (or sarcopenia) which plays a crucial part in maintaining your metabolism.
Unintentional weight loss is common among older adults, however there are many steps to take to maintain a healthy weight through aging, and preserve an optimum quality of life: Have them share meals with a companion to help the senior – especially one who suffers from dementia – eat a balanced meal.
Stop blaming your metabolism. If you're over 30 and have gained weight recently, chances are it has little to do with the complex chemical reaction that's responsible for turning food into energy in your body. The real reason most people gain weight as they age is simple: they get less active over time.
Because men have higher levels of testosterone (which can lead to lipolysis, or fat-burning) and lower levels of estrogen, they tend to accumulate fat in their bellies; women, on the other hand, have higher estrogen levels, so they tend to store more fat in their legs and hips.
Summary. For many people, the term metabolism really means metabolic rate — the speed at which your body burns calories to keep its basic functions running. Your metabolic rate does change during your early life, but it plateaus between the ages of 20 and 60, and only decreases by around 1% per year after that.
While there isn't one magic food that will melt away belly fat, studies have reported certain foods have special belly-fat-burning benefits, such as avocado, artichokes, whole grains, kefir, green tea, eggs, peanuts and chickpeas.
Poor Diet and Lack of Physical Activity
Food products that are high in trans fats such as processed foods, sugar, and saturated fat can contribute to excess belly fat. These foods are high in calories and low in nutrients, which can lead to gaining weight and an increase in belly fat.
When will menopausal weight gain stop? The number on the scale won't keep going up and up. It does stabilize. But in perimenopause and those initial few years after the final menstrual cycle, we see the most pronounced amount of weight gain, which can have serious implications to health and overall wellbeing.