Why does the stomach get bigger with age?

Some age-related physical changes are to be expected. Let’s just say, in any case, we are ready for it. Wrinkles, gray hair, less firm skin and body, lower tolerance for alcohol and late nights earlier in the week, just to name a few. On the other hand, some are more surprising, such as this belly that becomes rounder over the years, and this, a priori, justifies it without any radical change in our eating habits. So who is the culprit?

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Physical change

It all starts in your thirties. Once past the 30-year mark, both women and men can attest to physical changes due to aging, and also because we are a little less physically active. We then begin to lose muscle mass.

These changes – especially in the abdomen – are more visible around the age of fifty. In women, the explanation of the phenomenon is simple and physiological. The stomach grows under the influence of hormones associated with menopause, and more precisely under the influence of estrogen deficiency. In fact estrogens are responsible for the distribution of fat in the body, the so-called “genoid” distribution; In other words, located at the level of the thigh and buttock and subcutaneous (what is under your fingers when you pinch your thigh). “At menopause, the ovaries stop producing estrogens and progesterone: then we are left with only androgens,” explains Martin Duclos, head of the department of sports medicine at Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital and president of the National Observatory of Physical Activity and Sedentary Lifestyle. France (ONPS). The distribution of fat then becomes an “android”. Then the fat is no longer subcutaneous but intra-abdominal: as in men, it migrates towards the abdomen, around the viscera, around the liver, pancreas and even the heart.

This phenomenon is inevitable and appears around the age of 53 (average age of menopause in France). The process can begin at perimenopause and take one, five or seven years – depending on the woman. “We know, however, that physically active women before and during perimenopause feel less fat than others, because sports limit it,” says Martine Duclos.

Exercise, healthy diet and good sleep

On the other hand, the good news: when we practice sports, these fats are the first to be accumulated and reduced. Physical activity is even more important because intra-abdominal fat is dangerous to your health, because it is located where it shouldn’t be. “It’s inflammatory and increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes,” explains Martin Duclos.

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All sports are good for practice, ideal for strengthening the muscles of the whole body and combining endurance. In a previous article posed the question, sports coach Lucille Woodward recommends regular cardiovascular effort at least twice a week, alternating running or cycling and both short and intense sessions, such as interval running. At the same time, the expert advised focusing on bodybuilding exercises dedicated to the deep and upper part of the abdomen, using kettlebells, core training, scissor leg kicks or even pull-ups.

We know that physically active women before and during premenopause will experience less fat than others.

Martin Duclos, Head of Sports Medicine at Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital

Surprisingly, limiting fat gain requires a healthy and balanced diet. Nutritionist Corinne Chicheportiche-Ayache recommends limiting your calorie intake in a previous article, without restricting yourself. In practice, we favor vegetables and starchy foods that are low in sugar and have a low glycemic index, such as quinoa, beans (chickpeas, lentils, etc.) or even whole grain pasta or rice.

One last element is essential to limiting the fat gain associated with physical changes: good sleep. “Even a 30-minute or one-hour sleep deficit will lead to increased appetite and insulin resistance,” emphasizes Martin Duclos. We’ll secrete more of it, but it promotes fat gain and metabolic disorders.”