All the more reason for older women (and probably men too) not only to lose weight; but don’t lose the pounds. A fascinating study in postmenopausal women finds that if they regain weight after losing weight after menopause, they do not regain as much lean tissue as they had lost, so the end result is more fat, even when they return to their original weight. .
You lose lean tissue and fat when you lose weight, according to the study authors. Research has shown that lean tissue accounts for about a quarter of total weight loss. Loss of muscle and bone mass is especially troublesome for older people, and is something that physicians should take into account when counseling their older patients.
For the research, the team investigated the body composition of just under 80 postmenopausal women (ages 50 to 70) who were not active either before or just after finishing a five-month diet. The team weighed the subjects at six and twelve months after they had lost weight, and looked at the body composition of anyone who regained a minimum of 4.5 pounds.
Generally, the subjects lost about 12% of their body weight on the diet, but at the 6-month follow-up, almost two-thirds of them had regained some weight. At one year of follow-up, nearly three-quarters of the subjects had recovered, including 11 who had gained even more than they lost. At this point, 84% of those who gained weight again had gained above the benchmark of 4.5 pounds.
The subjects had lost twice as much muscle as fat by following a low-calorie diet, but after they regained their bodies, their bodies had four times as much fat as they did muscle. Previous weight gain / regain studies in younger subjects showed that they generally gain fat and lean muscle at a similar rate to what they lost.
Of course, because the study did not have a control group of the same aged women who did not lose and then regain weight, no one can be sure that the alteration in composition from lean muscle to fat is not just a natural process. for his age. . This is a question that needs to be examined in the future.
On this same topic, an article published in 2009 discussed the changes in the body composition of men and women aged 70 to 79 years, comparing those who had lost a minimum of 3% of their body weight and subsequently recovered with those whose weight was maintained equal. They found that the so-called weight cycle can contribute to an overall loss of lean muscle mass in mature men. Here, too, more research was needed.
Experts are still trying to understand natural changes in body composition over time. This is especially important today because many of us are overweight, and overweight people are surviving longer than ever. There are no good guidelines for doctors to follow when treating obese older people. There are experts who believe that it is better to leave them as they are; some are totally opposed to older people losing weight.
While you will need to make your own decision in terms of losing weight after menopause, not only is there a very real risk of regaining it, but weight loss in old age can have a detrimental impact on your lean muscle to fat composition. . of your body. In favor of weight loss in older people is the knowledge that when older obese patients lose weight, their osteoarthritis improves: they can move and use stairs more easily and this improvement in quality of life is invaluable. Only you can make the best decision for you and your circumstances.
