Getting Older? Better Slim Down
December 7, 2005
Adults often get fatter around the middle or trunk as they age. The reasons: weight gain, loss of muscle mass and the body’s tendency to shift fat to the trunk over time. Higher trunk fat is linked to cardiovascular disease. “To prevent this age-related increase in trunk fat, it’s recommended that women engage in resistance training to help maintain muscle mass,” said UAB physiologist Gary Hunter, Ph.D., who led a study of 228 Caucasian women, between the ages of 20 and 65. “Some weight loss between ages 20 and 65 would also be necessary for women to maintain healthy levels of trunk fat, especially for those who are overweight in their 20s.” The study was published recently in International Journal of Body Composition Research. Contact Gail Short, Media Relations, (205) 934-8931 or gshort@uab.edu.