By Avipsha Sengupta

Copyright republicworld

As women approach midlife, they often begin to notice a change in how fat is stored in the body, particularly around the waist. While working out and diet play a huge part in managing weight and fat distribution, especially once they enter midlife, other factors come into play.According to Dr.Shrey Srivastava, Senior Consultant- Internal Medicine at Sharda Hospital, Greater Noida, “Women in midlife develop belly fat due to hormonal changes, specifically loss of estrogen during menopause and perimenopause. Estrogen controls fat distribution within the body, and with decreasing levels of estrogen, more fat is stored in the abdomen than in the legs and hips.”Also Read: New Gene Therapy Offers Hope Of Curing Genetic Hearing LossDr. Srivasta also explains the role of diminishing muscle mass that contributes to this issue among women. He says, “Reduced lean muscle mass may lead to slower metabolism, which in turn means the body uses fewer calories at rest, so gaining weight is easier, but losing or maintaining weight becomes a challenge, particularly in the abdominal region.Lifestyle factors also enter into the equation. With age, most women also have increased stress levels and, therefore, increased cortisol production. Increased cortisol levels are linked with fat deposition around the abdominal region. Furthermore, sleep disturbances typical of this phase in life also tend to influence varying cortisol and appetite-controlling hormone levels and cause weight gain.Also Read: All About Adfalcivax- India’s Indigenous Multi-stage Malaria VaccineWhile hormonal changes and reducing muscle mass are not under individual control, adopting strategies of effective stress management, a clean, healthy diet, and regular movement of the body can be highly beneficial for those who are looking to lose that pesky midlife belly fat.