Why is it Harder to Lose Weight When We Age?
You never had a problem losing or maintaining your weight before, but now the scale won’t move. It’s frustrating, but you’re not alone! As we get older, our bodies don’t respond the same way to weight loss efforts, and science has some explanations to offer. As we age we naturally tend to gain weight, to the tune of 1 to 2 pounds (lb) per year, according to a review by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. That may not seem like much, but over time it can lead to significant weight gain and, in some cases, obesity, which is considered to be a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher.
“Obesity incidence starts increasing in one’s twenties and peaks at 40 to 59, and then decreases slightly after age 60,” says Craig Primack, MD, an obesity medicine physician at the Scottsdale Weight Loss Center in Arizona.
Not everyone will become overweight as they age, because body weight is highly influenced by a person’s genetic makeup, level of physical activity, and food choices, Dr. Primack says. “We sometimes say genetics loads the gun and lifestyle pulls the trigger,” he says. Still, everyone will find it harder to maintain or lose weight with each passing year.
Excerpted from Everyday Health
