THE MIDDLE-AGED BODY: why we gain extra weight as we grow older — and what to do about it?
Photo by Inge Poelman on Unsplash
A person’s body weight is not a constant value — it changes throughout life. Moreover, these changes are highly individual. One person may remain slim forever, another may lose weight with age, while a third may gain it. That’s why American scientists asked a perfectly reasonable question: could body weight dynamics somehow be related to life expectancy?
BEING OVERWEIGHT CAN BE HEALTHY
A
fter studying the medical records of 3,700 children and 4,500 of their parents, researchers indeed found such a correlation. It turned out that those who lived the longest were people who maintained a normal body weight in adulthood, but gradually gained some excess weight by old age. It should be noted right away that this does not refer to obesity, which naturally indicates health problems, but rather to acceptable deviations of the body mass index from normal limits — deviations that cannot be considered a severe form of obesity.
HOW MUCH SHOULD A LONG-LIVER WEIGH
So, the longevity ranking according to body mass index looks as follows:
1st place. People who gradually gain weight as they age.
2nd place. Those who maintain a normal weight throughout their lives.
3rd place. Shared by two categories: overweight individuals who have struggled with excess weight all their lives, and slim individuals who have never suffered from any pathologies but have always remained at the lower limit of normal weight.
4th place. Those who were overweight in adulthood but lost weight as they aged.
5th place. People who were already obese by the age of 31, and whose condition continued to worsen over time.
HOW TO ADD 19 YEARS TO YOUR LIFE
Scientists do not yet fully understand the mechanisms linking excess weight and longevity, but the fact remains: gaining some weight with age — without reaching pathological conditions — is not only normal but beneficial. Research has convincingly shown that if you have a slight excess weight at the age of 50, you can safely count on an additional 19 years of life. The main thing is not to overdo it and to ensure that this extra weight stays within an acceptable, stable range.
WITH AGE, STEM CELLS «GO CRAZY»
It should be noted that by middle age, almost everyone begins to gain weight. New scientific data show that during this period, the molecular settings of stem cells start to malfunction. While most cells in our body lose activity with age, stem cells behave differently. Once a person reaches middle age, they suddenly seem to set a record in producing white fat. Unlike brown fat, white fat does not burn — it accumulates, contributing to excess weight. Scientists discovered this when they transplanted stem cells from old mice into young ones: the young mice immediately began to gain weight, their metabolism worsened, and they developed insulin resistance — one of the early signs of diabetes.
WHO GIVES THE ORDER TO GAIN WEIGHT
However, when stem cells from young mice were transplanted into old ones, no such changes were observed. This means that stem cells do not initially have a predisposition to form large amounts of white fat — it develops only with age. Moreover, within their «team», there is a special subgroup of cells responsible for producing excess fat. These cells exhibit abnormal activity, divide rapidly, and generate many mature fat cells. Yet, stem cells themselves are not the true «culprits» — that role belongs to the signaling protein LIFR (leukemia inhibitory factor receptor). This protein sends specific signals that stimulate the stem cells.
A NEW DRUG IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER!
If the activity of LIFR is suppressed, fat tissue in older mice stops increasing, while young ones show no reaction to such suppression at all. The good news is that the aging rate of stem cells can be regulated to some extent by changing their environment. Moreover, the signals associated with LIFR must come from somewhere, which means the creation of a drug capable of neutralizing the age-related activity of stem cells is within reach. But if you want to add 19 years to your life, you don’t have to wait for that new drug to appear — you can start controlling your weight right now.
Original research:
- Distinct adipose progenitor cells emerging with age drive active adipogenesis
- Survival tip: Start at normal weight and slowly add pounds
- Life-long body mass index trajectories and mortality in two generations
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