DR MICHAEL MOSLEY: The secret to preventing midlife spread? Eat more protein!

I’m currently on a speaking tour in Australia and one thing I’m often asked about in the Q&A sessions is the spread towards middle age, specifically the weight gain that occurs around menopause.

Why does this happen and what can be done about it?

The frustrating thing for many women, especially those in their forties, is that they gain extra pounds without clear lifestyle changes.

One of the main factors, of course, is the sudden change in hormones that occurs around menopause.

When estrogen levels drop, women are more likely to gain weight in the middle than in the hips or thighs (the exact reason is unknown).

Hormonal changes also mean that sleep deteriorates, leading to hunger and cravings – especially for high-energy (ie high-calorie) foods.

But there is a new idea, proposed by leading Australian researchers Professor David Raubenheimer and Professor Steve Simpson, experts on the dietary causes of obesity, who believe the problem is a lack of protein.

They believe that weight gain in middle age occurs mostly because as we age, and especially as women enter menopause, our need for protein increases, so we eat more of everything and unconsciously try to increase our protein intake. Unfortunately, many of the extra calories consumed are in the form of junk food.

But there is good news. In a recent article published in a journal of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the two scientists say you only need to increase your protein intake by a few percent to stop it.

If you put that sugary snack aside and instead eat more high-protein foods like eggs, meat, fish, beans or tofu, you’ll feel less hungry and less hungry.

In addition to helping prevent significant weight gain, increasing protein intake in middle age should also reduce the risk of osteoporosis and sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass), as protein is also essential for strong bones and muscles.

This applies not only to women going through menopause, but also to men over 60. So why do protein needs change? During menopause, the drop in estrogen seems to lead to an increased breakdown of proteins that are stored as tissues in your body.

But it’s also because our bodies (male or female) become less efficient at absorbing and utilizing protein as we age.

Protein is also a good hunger booster. The professors demonstrated this in an elegant experiment a few years ago, recruiting 22 healthy volunteers and confining them to hotel-like accommodation at the University of Sydney.

When estrogen levels drop, women tend to gain weight around their stomachs rather than their hips or thighs

The volunteers received meals and snacks with similar calories but different amounts of protein. It made a huge difference.

Without realizing it, participants on a low-protein diet consumed an average of 210 more calories per day than those on a high-protein diet. They also felt much hungrier a few hours after eating the low-protein breakfast.

I certainly think so. If I eat eggs or kippers for breakfast, I will be full by lunchtime. When I eat the same number of calories in the form of cereal or toast, I crave a mid-morning snack.

This is partly because eating protein lowers levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin, while also increasing levels of a hormone called peptide YY, which helps you feel full.

According to NHS guidelines, women should aim for around 45g of protein a day and men 55g.

However, many experts believe these numbers are too low, especially as we age. According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, eating more protein “is associated with higher bone density, slower bone loss, and a reduced risk of hip fracture.”

And a large American study called the Framingham Heart Study Offspring found that those who consumed at least 90g of protein a day over a two-decade period had better scores on weakness, including grip strength, climbing stairs and walking a half-mile or more walk, dress themselves. than those consuming 60g or less per day.

How to increase protein

Research suggests that your body absorbs more protein when you spread it throughout the day, rather than consuming it in just one meal – and that a high-protein breakfast is a particularly good way to stave off hunger later in the day. to repel

So why not start the day with eggs? I often eat two for breakfast (14g protein), with smoked salmon (a 60g serving provides 11g protein) or sometimes bacon (one slice has about 8g protein).

And if you’re worried about eggs and your heart: A 2018 study in the journal Heart, of half a million adults, found that people who ate eggs most days had a lower risk of heart disease and stroke did than those who ate eggs less often. . . Porridge made from rolled oats (instead of ready meals) is a good source of protein, especially when made with cow’s milk and sprinkled with nuts, as it provides 14g in 1/2 cup.

A 2018 study in Heart Journal, which included half a million adults, found that people who ate eggs most days had a lower risk of heart disease and stroke.

Using Greek yogurt is also a great way to top up your protein, especially if you sprinkle some nuts on top.

I think this yogurt tastes better and because it’s strained it usually has about twice the protein, about 12g in half a cup.

For lunch or dinner, a portion of beef, pork or chicken gives you a protein boost with 33g of protein per 100g of meat. Or maybe you prefer fish, with a small piece of salmon providing around 30g of protein.

Why not try quinoa with fish or meat? It’s a trendy food that many people think is a grain, like rice, but is actually a seed. Although quinoa is more expensive than rice, my wife Clare and I eat it very often because it is high in fiber and minerals, but also because it contains about 8g of protein per 50g serving.

If you’re a vegetarian or just want to give up meat for a while, beans and lentils are packed with protein.

A cup (200g) of cooked lentils provides around 20g of protein, while tofu, a good meat substitute, provides around 18g of protein per 150g.