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Why Menopause Belly Fat Increases: Experts Explain Hormonal Shifts and Muscle Loss
🇰🇷 South Korea /Health & Science

Why Menopause Belly Fat Increases: Experts Explain Hormonal Shifts and Muscle Loss

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Explainer Named sources Context piece
  • Women often experience increased abdominal fat during menopause, even without significant weight gain, due to hormonal changes.
  • Decreased estrogen levels shift fat distribution towards the abdomen and reduce muscle mass, impacting metabolism.
  • Experts advise focusing on waist circumference and muscle mass over scale weight, recommending strength training and adequate protein intake.

Many women in menopause report a noticeable change in their body shape, often describing it as "my weight is the same, but my belly is sticking out." This common complaint stems from a shift in how the body stores fat, driven by declining estrogen levels.

My weight is the same, but my belly is sticking out.

— Common description by menopausal womenDescribing the common body change experienced during menopause.

Before menopause, fat tends to accumulate in the hips and thighs. However, as estrogen decreases, the body becomes more prone to storing fat around the abdomen. This redistribution of fat, even if overall weight remains stable, leads to an increased waistline and a different body silhouette. Experts explain this is a natural physiological change associated with menopause.

The implications of this abdominal fat, particularly visceral fat, extend beyond aesthetics. It is linked to an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, fatty liver disease, and cardiovascular issues. Health check-ups often reveal these conditions are common among menopausal women.

Before menopause, fat tends to accumulate in the hips and thighs. However, as estrogen decreases, the body becomes more prone to storing fat around the abdomen.

— Medical expertExplaining the hormonal influence on fat distribution.

Furthermore, estrogen plays a role in maintaining muscle mass. With its decline, muscle generation and repair capabilities diminish, leading to a decrease in muscle mass. This, in turn, lowers the basal metabolic rate, meaning the body burns fewer calories at rest. The excess energy is then stored as fat, potentially filling the spaces left by reduced muscle.

Estrogen deficiency leads to changes in body fat distribution.

— Medical expertExplaining the physiological changes during menopause.

Therefore, experts recommend that women in menopause pay closer attention to their waist circumference and muscle mass rather than just the number on the scale. A balanced approach that includes strength training to preserve muscle, adequate protein intake, and regular monitoring of waist size is advised for managing health during this life stage.

Abdominal obesity increases the risk of metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, fatty liver disease, and cardiovascular disease.

— Medical expertHighlighting the health risks associated with increased belly fat.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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