Weight Management and Healthy Aging – Why Building Muscle is Important
Dr. Wendy Zhou, ND
For most people, when we mention weight management, they think of that needs to be reined under control. As we age, if we want to age well, we need to start thinking about managing weight as well. In this blog, let us briefly discuss pros and cons of both sides and how weight plays in our overall aging. One crucial aspect of this discussion is the importance of building muscle.
Why is managing weight and so difficult?
Many people struggle with weight throughout their lives. Even though the majority of our population struggle by trying to weight management (hence all the popular managing weight programs out there), some also struggle with trying to gain weight (eating disorders or other maldigestion disorders).
Numerous scientific studies are dedicated to studying weight, and if you fully break them down, it comes down to two things: calories and energy expenditure. There is no magic ‘diet’ that would make you lose or gain weight. The reason why people lose or gain weight after they stop the ‘diet’ is not because they ‘lost control’, it is because they went back to their habits and stopped being mindful towards their health as much. This is why building muscle plays a crucial role in maintaining a balanced weight.
There are many successful stories about weight management. Those stories are built on other ‘happiness’ factors. For example, low energy is a barrier towards exercise, low mood/depression is linked to weight probably due to lack of motivation. Unable to sleep makes people low in mood. Poor hormone controls make people feel less like themselves which interferes with a healthy routine. Lack of good nutrition puts people in a place where they cannot gain weight. Because weight is influenced by so many other factors, we can’t just look at calories in vs. calories out in order to support someone through a weight management journey. Integrating building muscle into these stories often marks the turning point towards success.
As people age, women often blame their menopause for weight gain. Research has shown that Menopause causes an approximate 5% change in body fat and almost the same decrease in lean tissue. This is what we call obesity sarcopenia. This is a big problem when it comes to healthy ageing.
What is Obesity Sarcopenia?
Obesity Sarcopenia is the term used to describe gaining fat at the same time as losing muscles due to the aging process. Weight management becomes increasingly challenging as muscle mass decreases, making building muscle even more critical.
Here are some facts and statistics:
- Muscle mass of the human body decreases by approximately 1.5% yearly after the age of 50 and by 2.5-3.0% yearly after the age of 60
- 10% decrease in muscle mass leads to a decrease in immune function and an increase in the risk of infection.
- 20% reduction in muscle mass may lead to muscle weakness, a decreased ability to participate in activities of daily living, and an risk of falling.
- 30% reduction in muscle mass may lead to disability, loss of independent living ability, and failure of wound and pressure ulcer care.
- 40% reduction in muscle mass may lead to a markedly risk of death from pneumonia, respiratory dysfunction
- Muscle is responsible for the consumption of nearly 80% of the body’s glucose content, and its resting metabolic rate accounts for 30% of the entire body’s resting metabolic rate
What can you do about it?
Speak to someone today! Let us fully assess your lifestyle and create a plan for your healthy aging. Whether we work on stress, sleep, food choices or lifestyle choices, talk to us for a better understanding to where your current health is at and where it can possibly be going.