What’s Causing Waistline Fat in Menopause

Simply getting older isn’t what causes visceral fat, which surrounds internal organs at the waistline. Visceral fat is more dangerous than subcutaneous fat since it contributes to premature atherosclerosis and risk of acute coronary syndrome.

So, what exactly is the culprit in this waistline fat that puts the health of middle-aged women at risk? New research says that an increase in levels of active testosterone is at fault.

While the loss of estrogen was often blamed for the increased risk of cardiovascular disease in middle age, researchers at Rush University Medical Center now believe that it’s really the change in hormonal balance (particularly the increase in testosterone) that’s to blame. The study results were published in the medical journal Obesity.

Study details

• Participants – 359 women in menopausal transition, ages 42 to 60
• Tests – Abdominal fat was measured with CT scans, and blood tests assessed testosterone and estradiol levels. Medical histories determined if other factors may be responsible for visceral fat.
• Results – Statistical analysis revealed that active testosterone is the best predictor of visceral fat. Age, race, other cardiovascular risk factors and level of estradiol didn’t appear to have a relationship to the amount of visceral fat.

Now that researchers may have discovered what’s to blame, perhaps they’ll come up with a middle-age belly fat cure next!

(Image via MorgueFile)