One of the most disconcerting aspects of growing older is a condition known as "middle-age spread," marked by an increase in girth around the midsection and a general decrease in size and shape in the arms and legs. Both men and women are subject to this phenomenon, a product of hormonal and other changes that are not entirely within our control.
Aging and Physical Changes
While you may cling to youthfulness for as long as possible, the physical changes that come with age catch up with us all sooner or later. Among other things, the muscle cells of the body become less efficient at metabolizing energy and begin to shrink. According to Cheryl Phillips, head of the American Geriatric Society, aging muscle cells influence fat storage because most of the calories we consume are burned in the muscles. When muscle cells lose some of their metabolic capacity, unburned calories are stored as fat. Because the muscles of the legs are some of the largest in the body, loss of lean mass in the lower extremities plays a large role in fat accumulation in the mid-section.
Menopause and Female Weight Change
For women, hormonal changes during menopause have a profound effect on the redistribution of body weight, with fat accumulating around the abdomen and visceral fat surrounding and invading vital organs. At the 2007 American Chemical Society annual meeting, Deborah Clegg of the University of Cincinnati Obesity Research Center discussed her research in animals to see what happens in the brain when ovarian estrogen production drops. Clegg found that changes in estrogen production triggered a drop in metabolic rate and energy levels, increased appetite and fat accumulation around the abdomen. Clegg attributes the changes to estrogen receptors in critical areas of the brain that mediate fat distribution. While some women seek hormone replacement therapy to stop weight gain, MayoClinic.com notes that there is little evidence to support its effectiveness.
Men and Middle Age Spread
Men are also subject to age-related muscle loss and abdominal expansion. While inactivity is often cited as the leading cause of muscle wasting, it is clear that even physically active men fall prey. A study of 2,150 male runners over the age of 50 conducted by Berkeley National Laboratory and published in a 1997 issue of "Research News" found that, despite regular exercise, subjects lost muscle mass and gained inches around the waist over time. According to Marta Korbonits, author of the book "Obesity and Metabolism," decreased production of growth hormone and testosterone are key factors in skeletal muscle shrinkage.
Exercise and Weight Control in Middle Age
A study of 8,080 male and 4,871 female runners published in 2006 in the "International Journal of Obesity" set out to discover the impact of exercise on preventing weight gain in middle age, concluding that age-related weight gain was inevitable, even among the most active and consistent exercisers. Still, exercise has been found to slow, if not prevent, the accumulation of abdominal fat and weight gain after age 50. Regular weight bearing exercise is important to maintain bone mineral density, and resistance training plays an important role in combating the loss of skeletal muscle.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Women's Health: Belly Fat in Women: How to Keep It Off
- Berkeley Lab Research News: Middle-Age Weight Gain: Men Unlikely to Outrun It: Jeffery Kahn, April 25, 1997
- Obesity and Metabolism: Marta Korbonits, 2008
- National Public Radio: Why We Gain Weight as We Age: Patti Neighmond, February 22, 2010
- American Chemical Society: Revealing Estrogen's Secret Role in Obesity: Susan Gaidos, August 20, 2007
- International Journal of Obesity: The Effects of Changing Exercise Levels on Weight and Age-Related Weight Gain: P.T. Williams and P.D. Wood, March, 2006
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