By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: New Research Shows How to Lose Weight After 40
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Public Health > New Research Shows How to Lose Weight After 40
Public HealthSpecialtiesWellness

New Research Shows How to Lose Weight After 40

Rehan Ijaz
Rehan Ijaz
Share
6 Min Read
weightloss
SHARE

Everyone is at a higher risk of weight gain as they age. There appear to be a number of factors that come into play. Although research hasn?t fully answered all the questions, new studies have yielded some interesting findings. Following this research helps us understand the correlation between aging and weight gain, which helps people over 40 find more effective ways to lose weight. Groom and Style recently published some interesting and promising findings showing it?s still possible to lose weight with age. Here are some things to be aware of.

Contents
  • Muscles Tend to Shrink With Age
  • Reducing Activeness Creates a Vicious Cycle of Weight Gain
  • Creating More Synchronized Body Rhythms is Key to Losing Weight

Muscles Tend to Shrink With Age

Muscle degeneration tends to accelerate with age. Research still hasn?t explained why, but this plays a large role in weight gain. As muscles shrink, our metabolism steadily declines, making weight gain almost inevitable. While research hasn?t found a clear causal relationship between muscle shrinkage and age, Cheryl Phillips, president of the American Geriatrics Society states that research is coming closer to finding an answer. “So, if you look at a woman who is 70 years old and compare her to what her body was like at 25 years of age, even though her weight may be exactly the same, she had more percentage of muscle in her body when she was 25 than she does when she’s 70.” Jonathan Wanagat, a geriatrician and medical research with the University of California at Los Angeles, says that a decline in stem cell and testosterone generation appears to play a role. “I think one of the ones that have become increasingly interesting and popular is the idea that the stem cells in the muscle are not able to respond to damage or to aging the way they did when we were younger. And if damaged muscle cells aren’t repaired, they sort of whittle away and die, he says. Decreases in growth hormone, testosterone and estrogen levels may also account for the loss of muscle fiber and the inability of tissue to replenish itself,? Wanagat told NPR. This indicates that therapies to boost stem cell and testosterone production can play a key role in weight loss for aging adults.

Reducing Activeness Creates a Vicious Cycle of Weight Gain

Recent studies from the Translational Research Institute for Metabolism and Diabetes show a clear relationship between lower activity levels and a decline in cell mitochondria. As people get older, they often become less active. This in turn causes a drop in the activity levels of their cells. As a result, metabolism tends to decline. Declining metabolism often leads to weight gain, which causes people to feel more fatigued. Reduced activeness also leads to fatigue, even if weight gain isn?t present. Over time, this causes metabolism to drop even further. This research shows that people can sever the weight gain cycle by trying to be as active as possible as they get older. Part of the reason people are less active is unavoidable. Wear and tear on their body and a natural decline in mitochondria plays a role. However, most of the decline in activeness appears to be psychological. People become more fixated on their careers with age, which can reduce activeness and lead to weight gain, since they tend to work sedentary jobs. They are also busier raising families and other adult responsibilities, so they have less time to dedicate to exercise. A lot of the problem could be avoided by forcing themselves to be more active. Wagnet states that numerous studies have shown that exercise continues to restore muscle mass for people well into their 80s, which slows or even reverses the progression of weight gain. “We aren’t sure exactly how exercise makes muscles stronger, but we know that when we measure the grip strength of the hands or feet, grip is strongest just after exercise, even among people in their 80s and 90s. So weightlifting at any age offers low risk and great benefit,? Wagnet explains.

Creating More Synchronized Body Rhythms is Key to Losing Weight

We are all stuck on a natural circadian rhythm, which is tied to normal daylight hours. Studies have shown that people that break this cycle tend to have lower insulin sensitivity, which forces their body to secrete more insulin to break down sugars. A study from the Exercise Metabolism Research Group for the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University shows that regulating your circadian rhythms better can play an important role. You can reduce weight gain by following a more consistent sleep pattern and going to sleep and waking up earlier.

More Read

Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy: Much Ado about Nothing?
What is the Highest Prescription Available for Contact Lenses?
How to Keep Your Back Healthy and Strengthen Your Spine
Patient Safety – Medication Safety, Fall Prevention & Self-Care Tips for Caregivers
AskBlue Tries to Explain Health Insurance and Obamacare
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

a woman walking on the hallway
6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
Health
September 9, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
Global Healthcare
September 9, 2025
travel nurse in north carolina
Balancing Speed and Scope: Choosing the Nursing Degree That Fits Your Goals
Nursing
September 1, 2025
intimacy
How to Keep Intimacy Comfortable as You Age
Relationship and Lifestyle Senior Care
September 1, 2025

You Might also Like

biopharma beat
BusinessDiagnosticseHealthMedical DevicesMedical InnovationsMobile HealthRemote DiagnosticsTechnologyWellness

BioPharma Beat: The Uberization of Healthcare – A Silly Extrapolation

March 3, 2015
mhealth
Home HealthMedical DevicesMedical InnovationsMobile HealthNewsTechnology

Mobile Health Around the Globe: Raiing Thermometer From China Continuously Monitors Temperature

January 21, 2013

Protective Genetic Material Appears to Protect against Alzheimer Dementia

July 13, 2012
Wellness

How Portable Aromatherapy Can Lead To A Happier And Healthier Life

October 16, 2018
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?