QuestionLaurie
I am 55.
In my early 40's I started to get the typical male beer belly.
I have reached a 'stasis point' now where it is not getting any smaller or any bigger, thanks to a lot of walking and watching my refined carb intake.
I have worked for a long time where I am and there is a large workforce, and I am noticing a lot of guys that were slim in their 20's are now getting the same belly.
Like mine it is quite firm.
Is this what is called visceral or internal fat?
I also notice a lot of the gals are getting pretty heavy in the hips.
Is this type of fat deposition fairly normal?
Of course there are those that though they look older facially are still the same weight as when they started working here.I assume this is genetic.
Is there any way to overcome this? I probably eat less than I did when I was younger and I am more active.
Thanks for your thoughts!
AnswerHi Gordon,
Yes, visceral fat refers to the fat surrounding your organs. Subcutaneous fat is just under the skin (for instance, at the back of a woman's arm).
In men the weight tends to be gained around the abdomen and this fat is a huge factor in promoting high blood sugars, high blood pressure, high triglycerides and other conditions that lead to premature morbidity and mortality.
Women tend to gain around the hips and this is not as much a risk factor for the aforementioned conditions.
For men it has been determined that a waist measurement above 40 inches correlates to those conditions. Here are the guidelines from the US National Institutes of Health: http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/tools.htm#circumf
It's not inevitable to gain fat as we age. Many people are testimony to this (largely the celebrities we see who have personal chefs and personal trainers).
It takes more work now than it did when we were in our 20's but it can be done.
Perhaps you were more active in other ways when you were younger (playing touch football, for instance, or walking more when you didn't have a car) and perhaps you eat more now than you realize.
The best way to find out what you really eat is to keep a food diary. This activity alone results in weight loss in most people!
