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Health in Midlife Is About More Than Waistline: Here’s Why
Jul
You’re no longer in your 20s or 30s, and you know that regular health check-ups are vital. So you go to your GP. During your visit, they’ll measure your waist. They might also check your weight. They look concerned and recommend some lifestyle changes.
GPs and healthcare professionals commonly measure waist circumference as an vital indicator of health. It is a better indicator than the body mass index (BMI) of the amount of intra-abdominal fat. This is the really risky fat around and inside the organs that can cause heart disease and metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes.
Men are at much greater risk of health problems if their waist circumference is over 102 centimeters. Women are considered to be at greater risk if their waist circumference is 88 centimeters or more. More than two thirds of Australian adults have a waist circumference that increases the risk of disease. An even better indicator is waist circumference divided by height or waist to height ratio.
But we know that people (especially women) tend to gain weight around the waist in middle agewhich can be very hard to control. Are they doomed to needy health? It turns out that while such measurements are vital, they are not the whole story when it comes to the risk of disease and death.
Read more: Body Mass Index Can’t Tell Us If We’re Well – Here’s What We Should Be Using Instead
How much is too much?
Having a waist-to-height ratio greater than 0.5 is associated with a higher risk of chronic disease as well as premature death, and this applies to adults of all ages. A vigorous waist-to-height ratio is between 0.4 and 0.49. A ratio of 0.6 or more puts a person at the highest risk of getting sick.
Some experts recommend Waist circumference should be routinely measured in patients during medical visits. This could open up a discussion about the risks of chronic disease and how to manage them.
Excess body fat and its associated health problems become more pronounced in middle age. A number of social, personal, and physiological factors make it more hard to control waist circumference as we age. Metabolism tends to tardy down, mainly due to decreasing muscle mass, as people less intense physical activity, especially resistance exercises.
In women, hormone levels begin to change in middle age, and this also stimulates the growth of fat levels, especially around the bellyAt the same time, this phase of life (often including professional responsibilities, parenting and caring for aging parents) is a time when increased stress levels can lead to increased levels of cortisol, which causes fat to accumulate around the belly.
Middle age can also cause poorer sleep patterns. These contribute to the boost in body fat disruption of hormones that control appetite.
Finally, your family history and genetics may make you more prone to storing fat around your belly.
Why a waist?
Intra-abdominal or visceral fat is much more metabolically busy (has a greater impact on body organs and systems) than the fat located under the skin (subcutaneous fat).
Visceral fat surrounds and infiltrates major organs such as the liver, pancreas, and intestines, releasing a variety of chemicals (hormones, inflammatory signals, and fatty acids). These affect inflammation, lipid metabolism, cholesterol levels, and insulin resistance, contributing to the development of chronic diseases.
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This problem is particularly observable during menopauseIn addition to the direct effects of hormonal changes, falling estrogen levels change brain function, mood, and motivationThese psychological changes can result in decreased physical activity and increased food consumption – often mood-boosting foods high in sugar and fat.
But these results are not inevitable. Diet, exercise, and mental health can all facilitate reduce the buildup of visceral fat in midlife. And importantly, waist circumference (and ratio to height) is just one measure of a person’s health. There are many other aspects of body composition, exercise, and diet that can have a much bigger impact on a person’s health.
Read more: Is Menopause Making Me Gain Weight? No, But It’s Complicated
Muscles matter
The amount and quality of a person’s skeletal muscles (attached to bones to enable movement) determines their a big difference on their heart, lungs, metabolism, immunity, neurology and mental health, as well as their physical functioning.
Based on current evidence, it is equally, or perhaps even more, vital for health and longevity To have greater muscle mass and better cardiorespiratory (aerobic) capacity than a waist circumference within the normal range.
So, if someone has an excessive waist circumference but also leads a sedentary lifestyle and has lower muscle mass and aerobic capacity, it is recommended to focus on a proper exercise program. Fitness deficits should be prioritized rather than worrying about losing fat.
On the other hand, someone with low visceral fat is not necessarily fit and vigorous. They may have needy aerobic capacity, low muscle mass and strength. Research evidence is that these basic signs of health — how mighty a person is, the quality of their diet, and how well their heart, circulatory system, and lungs work — are a better predictor of their risk of disease and death than how lean or obese they are.
For example, 2017 Dutch study followed overweight and obese people for 15 years and found that highly physically busy people had no higher risk of heart disease than people of “normal weight.”
Read more: Climb stairs, carry groceries, chase kids: Random, vigorous activity linked to lower cancer risk
An vital piece of advice is to move
Physical activity has many benefits. Exercise can counteract many of the negative behavioral and physiological changes that occur in midlife, including those going through menopause.
Regular exercise reduces the tendency to apply food and drink to cope with what may be quite a difficult period in life.
Measuring your waist circumference and monitoring your weight remains vital. If your measurements are above the values listed above, it is certainly a good idea to make some changes. Exercise is effective for fat loss, especially reducing visceral fat with greater effectiveness when in combination with dietary restriction of energy intake. Importantly, any fat loss program—whether through medication, diet, or surgery—is also a muscle loss program, unless resistance exercise is part of the program. Talking about your overall health with your doctor is a great place to start.
Accredited Exercise Physiologists AND Accredited Practicing Dietitians are the most appropriate healthcare professionals to assess your physical condition, fitness and diet and facilitate you develop a plan to improve your health, fitness and reduce current and future health risks.
