An expanding waistline is sometimes considered a price of getting older. For women, this can be especially true as body fat tends to shift to the abdomen after menopause.
On average, the pelvic width of the oldest people in the study was nearly 2.5 cm larger than the youngest patients. This increase in pelvic diameter could lead to an approximately 7.6 cm increase in waist size from age 20 to age 79, regardless of body fat increases.
A combination of things happens as we age. We tend to lose muscle mass, so our abdominal muscles aren't as tight as they once were, and the loss of elastin and collagen in our skin allows gravity to have its way so skin starts to sag. Both can cause the waistline to expand.
There are many reasons why people gain belly fat, including poor diet, lack of exercise, and stress. Improving nutrition, increasing activity, and making other lifestyle changes can help people lose belly fat. Belly fat refers to fat around the abdomen.
At menopause, many women experience weight gain, particularly around the abdomen. Contributors to weight gain at menopause include declining oestrogen levels, age-related loss of muscle tissue and lifestyle factors such as diet and lack of exercise.
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.
To attack belly fat and any other menopausal weight gain, you'll need to burn between 400 and 500 calories most days of the week from cardiovascular exercise, such as walking briskly, jogging, bicycling, dancing, or swimming, Peeke says.
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. Genes can contribute to an individual's chances of being overweight or obese too.
Common reasons for someone to have belly fat even when they're skinny is: Being too sedentary (inactive), which builds visceral fat around the organs and abdominal fat. Eating too many processed foods, which stores at the belly.
With the onset of puberty, the male pelvis remains on the same developmental trajectory, while the female pelvis develops in an entirely new direction, becoming wider and reaching its full width around the age of 25-30 years. From the age of 40 onward, the female pelvis then begins to narrow again.
One noticeable change for women as they age is an increase in body fat. It is common to see a decrease in muscle mass, causing your body to feel less strong than it did in your youth. Women may also develop wrinkles from reduced elasticity and firmness of their skin, or thin and graying hair.
A non-fat belly (ascites), is a condition where a person has a protruded stomach, but it's not coming from fat. It's coming from fluids. This type of protruded stomach is caused by a damaged liver. The damaged liver is causing leakage of fluid and accumulation of a protein fluid in the abdominal cavity.
Visceral fat more of a health concern than subcutaneous fat
Extra pounds tend to park themselves around the midsection. At one time, we might have accepted these changes as an inevitable fact of aging. But we've now been put on notice that as our waistlines grow, so do our health risks.
Abdominal swelling, or distention, is more often caused by overeating than by a serious illness. This problem also can be caused by: Air swallowing (a nervous habit) Buildup of fluid in the abdomen (this can be a sign of a serious medical problem)
For your best health, your waist should be less than 40 inches around for men, and less than 35 inches for women, although it may vary depending on race or ethnicity. If it's larger than that, you may want to talk with your doctor about what your next steps are, including losing weight.
Choose complex carbohydrates and high-fiber foods over simple carbs found in sugary foods and beverages, especially those containing fructose. Of all carbs, fructose may add the most inches to waistlines as it can trigger cravings and overeating. Sleep. Adults should aim for seven to nine hours of sleep.
Lemon water can promote fullness, support hydration, boost metabolism, and increase weight loss. However, lemon water is no better than regular water when it comes to losing fat. That being said, it is tasty, easy to make, and can be used as a low-calorie replacement for high-calorie beverages.
Menopause weight gain can show up without any obvious behavior change and will not go away on its own. Like any other weight loss, losing menopause weight requires you to use more calories than you take in. Menopause weight gain can affect how you feel about your body and how you feel in your body.