Get rid of post-menopausal belly fat

Q: I’m a year past menopause and, for the first time, I have belly fat. I’ve also gained weight. How can I reverse this trend and lose the fat?

Lanny F., Portland, Oregon

A: You’re not alone; almost 75% of women over age 55 in the U.S. are overweight or obese. Combating that is a priority for maximizing length — and most importantly, quality — of life.

One of the reasons older women gain weight is that blood levels of estradiol, a form of estrogen, decline measurably after menopause. That change in estradiol also changes one of its metabolites, testosterone and together they alter how you burn calories and manage fat. Researchers have found, however, that hormone levels aren’t the only thing in decline.

A study in the International Journal of Obesity tracked 158 healthy premenopausal women, age 43 and older, for four years. The researchers found that women who became menopausal were getting half as much physical activity as they had in the four years prior to menopause — and their activity levels remained low. And while everyone in the study added visceral belly fat — postmenopausal women added the most.

That belly fat, accumulating around your internal organs and boosting bodywide inflammation, ups your risk for diabetes, heart disease, dementia, and colorectal and breast cancer — not to mention depression, a lousy sex life and digestive woes.

What can you do about it? A lot. You can rebuild muscle mass with 20-30 minutes of resistance and strength training two to three times a week and get 150 or more minutes of high-intensity interval training cardio exercise weekly — stoking your metabolism. And you can upgrade your diet by eliminating ultra-processed foods, enriched flours, partially hydrogenated oils, and saturated and trans fats. That reduces fat-storing inflammation.

Need some help? Check out “How To Lose Weight After Menopause,” and “Get Rid Of Belly Fat,” on DoctorOz.com.