Weight Gain
Why does weight gain occur later in life?
Weight gain later in life has two contributing factors:
- decreased metabolic rate
- decreased amounts of physical activity
Metabolic rate slows down after the age of 30 years old. Metabolic rate is the rate of energy production of the body or the amount of energy expended in a give period. A slowing metabolic rate means that ingested food is not converted to energy as quickly and is more likely to be stored as fat.
Decreased amounts of physical activity is not uncommon with increasing age. It only becomes significant when there isn’t a decrease in the amount of food consumed per day.
With these two factors together, decreased physical activity and metabolic rate, the calories you put in as food is not used up and is more likely to be stored as fat.
So what about weight gain and menopause?
Menopause itself can cause increases in fat stores and decreases in lean muscle mass. Prior to menopause, women store fat in the lower body around the hips and buttocks. This serves as an energy reserve in case of pregnancy. As menopause causes lowers estrogen levels, it causes the body to store fat around the abdomen and upper body, changing the fat distribution.
What are the consequences of weight gain?
When weight gain is left unchecked, it can cause the body to become overweight and obese. An overweight or obese body can increase the risks of medical conditions such as:
- hypertension (high blood pressure)
- hypercholesterolaemia (high blood cholesterol)
- blood vessel and heart disease
- heart attack
- stroke
- type 2 diabetes
- osteoarthritis
How can I control my weight?
Maintaining your weight as you grow older is not as difficult as it may seem. Most people need to eat a little less and exercise a little more. Read some diet and eating tips for weight maintenance and weight loss.