Women in their 40s may notice that they put on weight without trying - especially around the waist.This is usually caused by a hormonal imbalance brought on by the menopause.
What's interesting is the weight gained in this way fixates on the stomach and less on other parts like legs and arms.It can be frustrating to see the scales go up when you haven't made any major changes to your diet.
But health expert Michael Mosley has explained why this happens and what can be done to combat it.Discussing a previous study by Australian researchers Professor David Raubenheimer and Professor Steve Simpson, Mosley attributes this type of weight gain to a lack of protein.Writing in the Daily Mail, he said: "They think middle-age weight gain happens mainly because as we get older, and particularly when women enter the menopause, our need for protein rises so we eat more of everything, trying unconsciously to boost our protein intake.
Unfortunately, a lot of the extra calories consumed are in the form of junk food."Citing a separate study, Mosley recommends anyone suffering from middle age spread to boost their protein intake by just a few per cent.
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