wellness

2023-08-28 07:00:00

Is the small belly of menopause inevitable?

In a recent episode of And Just Like That…, Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) goes shopping for a special outfit to mark her return to the world of art galleries. In the fitting room, she is confronted with the fact that her figure is one of the many things that have changed since she stopped working. “I just need to lose belly,” she said, smoothing her belly, exasperated, facing the reflection of the mirror.

Charlotte is not alone. It’s a feeling that many women feel when they reach their 40s and then 50s. At this age, weight gain in the lower abdomen becomes so common that it has become a dreaded symptom of menopause and perimenopause.

Menopause, a radical change

Menopause doesn’t necessarily lead to weight gain, but it does change fat distribution and body composition (the ratio of muscle to fat). “Decreased estrogen levels and increased follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels lead to increased total body fat, fat deposition around the abdominal region, and increased waist circumference” , explain Somi Javaidobstetrician-gynecologist and founder of HerMD Health.

“Numerous studies point out that perimenopause, regardless of age, is associated with increased abdominal fat and reduced lean body mass,” adds Jennifer Garrisonco-founder of Femistry and director of the Global Consortium for Reproductive Longevity & Equality. “In young women, estrogen promotes fat deposits around the hips, but when the rate decreases during menopause, fat redistributes to the abdomen without necessarily changing weight. At the same time, muscle mass decreases with age, and is often replaced by fat.” But where fat accumulates in the body can predict its impact on our overall health. “Belly fat is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, stroke and respiratory problems,” explains Somi Javaidadding that it also puts extra pressure on the joints of the lower extremities, which can lead to mobility problems and arthritis.

While gaining fat in this area is almost inevitable, getting rid of it can seem impossible. “Belly fat is often harder to lose because it’s considered ‘active fat.’ Unlike other fat tissue that sits dormant, it releases hormones that can impact your health,” says the expert. “There are two types of fat cells,” she adds, “alpha and beta: betas respond best to fat burning processes, while risky areas, such as the abdominal belt, tend to contain more alpha cells, which are harder to get rid of.”

Sleep well and eat healthy

One thing to improve? Your sleep. Lack of sleep, according to Jennifer Garrison, can affect your stomach gain due to its impact on appetite-regulating hormones. “Lack of sleep is associated with increased levels of ghrelin, which increase our appetite, and decreased levels of leptin, which help us feel full,” she explains. Decreased insulin sensitivity is another side effect of lack of sleep. “When we don’t have good insulin sensitivity, we release more of it to lower our blood sugar levels, and when we remove sugar from the bloodstream, we store it as fat.”

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