How to manage middle-aged spread
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Is your expanding waistline impacting on your day-to-day life? Weight loss coach Andrew Cate explains why we need to manage middle-aged spread, and how, to live life to its fullest.
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Maintaining your weight, health and energy levels through all stages of life is a vital component of wellbeing, helping you enjoy life to the fullest and to perform daily tasks with ease.
Excess body fat is known to increase the likelihood of experiencing functional limitations in middle and older age.
People tend to store more fat around the abdomen with increasing age, which is associated with an increase in the risk of lifestyle diseases and their symptoms.
Excess weight stresses the spine and the joints in your legs, making it harder to climb stairs, get up from a chair or toilet seat, or chase the kids around your backyard. It can also lead to back pain, shortness of breath, fatigue and reduced exercise capacity.
Research on abdominal fat and function
A study conducted at the University of North Carolina examined the association between abdominal fat and functional limitations in later life.
Over 9000 men and women aged 45-65 years were assessed for waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio and body mass index (BMI). Participants were followed over 9 years, and noted any change in the level of difficulty they experienced in performing day-to-day activities such as walking up steps, getting out of bed and doing chores around the house.
What the researchers found was that people with a higher than average waist circumference at baseline were more likely to report functional limitations and impairment 9 years later.
The researchers noted that abdominal fat may also have an independent effect on functional limitations and disability.
Keeping your waistline in check
Living a balanced lifestyle can help to maintain a healthy body weight and prevent increases in abdominal fat. Three key behaviours to help you keep your waistline in check include:
- Get moving - There are a number of training strategies rel="noopener noreferrer" you can adopt to target abdominal fat, including interval training, and the inclusion of resistance training.
- Eat a healthy, kilojoule-controlled diet - A diet that is in low in sugar and processed foods, and high in plant based foods and lean protein sources can help to keep your weight in check. Foods rich in soluble fibre such as oats, rel="noopener noreferrer" pulses and vegetables may also have unique belly fat reducing properties.
- Monitor your waistline - Monitor your waist measurement on a regular basis (at least once a month) so you can detect any increases early. You can then work a little harder on your diet and activity levels and prevent the creeping on of extra kilos sometimes associated with ageing.
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