In women of a certain age, proliferation in middle age seems impossible.
But in fact, women may find that their diet is more successful after menopause.
One study found that women over 45 who cut calories for a month were able to lose about 10 percent of their body fat.
This compares to just 8 percent of the body fat lost by women under 45 on the same diet.
Unfortunately for younger women trying to lose weight as a couple, men under 45 have been found to lose more fat than women when they eat fewer calories.
A study shows that while men are more successful at dieting than women before the age of 45, the difference between the sexes disappears after this age (stock photo)
But the difference between the sexes disappeared after that age as women approached or passed menopause.
The hopeful results of a diet for older women come from a small study involving 45 people, but the researchers believe they have further evidence from mouse experiments that fat loss is easier for older women.
Younger female mice stored more fat and burned less fat than males during the diet—probably because fat is important for fertility and birth.
This suggests that it is easier for mice and females to get rid of fat after reproductive age when it is no longer needed.
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Dr William Cawthorn, who led the study from the University of Edinburgh, said: “These results are good news for women who struggled with dieting at a younger age, as they suggest that results can improve with age.
“It’s a good encouragement not to give up.
“Restricted calorie diets have many health benefits and can help [people] healthier aging.
“Some previous research has shown that the effectiveness of these diets may differ between men and women, but our study is the first to show that these gender differences largely disappear when dieting begins with age.”
The researchers studied 42 people aged 21 to 61 who were overweight or obese and responded to a newspaper advertisement for a weight loss study.
They ate three meals a day, but were asked to reduce their calories by an average of about 30 percent over four weeks.
Men consumed an average of 1,600 calories per day, while women consumed an average of 1,300 calories per day.
When researchers analyzed the results of this earlier study, they found that men of all ages were able to lose more weight than women through dieting.
But in the essential measure of fat burning, only younger men outperformed women.
Over the four weeks, men under 45 lost more than 16 percent of their body fat, while women in the same age group lost half as much – just 8 percent.
But when men and women over 45 were considered separately, both lost an average of 10 percent of their body fat.
Researchers plan to do more to understand why, but believe men become worse at burning belly fat as they age, which may partially explain the prevalence of “beer bellies.”
Meanwhile, women, whose estrogen levels typically drop after age 45, may shed more fat when it’s not needed to support a possible pregnancy.
The study was published in the specialist journal eLife.
WHAT SHOULD A BALANCED DIET LOOK LIKE?
Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally whole grains, according to the NHS
• Eat at least 5 portions of different fruits and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count
• Alkaline meals based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably whole grains
• 30 grams of fiber per day: This is equivalent to eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruit and vegetables, 2 whole grain granola crackers, 2 thick slices of whole grain bread, and 1 large baked potato with the skin on
• Offer dairy products or milk alternatives (eg soy drinks) and choose lower-fat, lower-sugar options
• Eat beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 portions of fish per week, one of which is fatty)
• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consume them in small amounts
• Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water daily
• Adults should consume less than 6g of salt and 20g of saturated fat for women or 30g for men per day
Source: NHS Eatwell Guide
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
