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Metabolism peaks at age one and tanks after 60, study finds

bbc.co.uk

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Re: Metabolism peaks at age one and tanks after 60, study finds

#11

Post by bongoman37 »

Pikkie wrote: post #3

Sadly, energy expenditure seems to correlate inversely with what's required. When I was a kid I was happy to sit and watch cartoons all day, requiring almost zero energy. But now that I need it...

A massive amount of energy is just used by the developing brains, so you are still using that as you watch a cartoon.

"The growing brain is likely the key energy sucker in little kids, says biological anthropologist Chris Kuzawa of Northwestern University. Kuzawa did not participate in this study, but in 2014 his team found that the brains of young children consume a stunning 43% of all energy used by the body."[1]

[1] https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2021/08/little-kids-burn-so-...

Re: Metabolism peaks at age one and tanks after 60, study finds

#13

Post by tonyedgecombe »

gswdh wrote: post #2

Are there any other biological factors for weight gain in mid life? I imagine it’s mostly down to lack of exercise and mental state.

It's in the article:

"These findings would support the view that the obesity epidemic is fuelled by excess food energy intake and not a decline in energy expenditure."

Re: Metabolism peaks at age one and tanks after 60, study finds

#14

Post by inglor_cz »

oblio wrote: post #5
gswdh wrote: post #2

Are there any other biological factors for weight gain in mid life? I imagine it’s mostly down to lack of exercise and mental state.

Well, some conditions could probably cause it, but those are conditions are rare. Considering obesity is headed towards affecting 50% of the population in developed countries, those conditions are not a valid excuse for the vast majority of people. For this vast majority of people, it's lack of exercise and mental state, as you say.

I turned 43 today. I probably exercise more than when I was 23 and I definitely eat much more carefully - no processed crap anymore, no alcohol, very little sugar. My insulin sensitivity seems to be almost perfect (at least the graphs produced by continuous glucometer say so).

I am still a bit worse off around my waist than I was twenty years ago. Not dramatically so, but at least 4 inches, perhaps 6. With lifestyle like that, I would have been absolutely lean in my early 20s. Something subtle must have changed within.

Re: Metabolism peaks at age one and tanks after 60, study finds

#15

Post by bildung »

chrisco255 wrote: post #9
gswdh wrote: post #2

Are there any other biological factors for weight gain in mid life? I imagine it’s mostly down to lack of exercise and mental state.

Among men? I would imagine lower testosterone levels.

Aren't lower testosterone levels a result of lack of exercise and thus weight gain, instead of the cause of weight gain?

Re: Metabolism peaks at age one and tanks after 60, study finds

#16

Post by chrisco255 »

bildung wrote: post #15
chrisco255 wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Among men? I would imagine lower testosterone levels.

Aren't lower testosterone levels a result of lack of exercise and thus weight gain, instead of the cause of weight gain?

Testosterone levels naturally decline with age, but yes, exercise of course helps stave off the decline.

Re: Metabolism peaks at age one and tanks after 60, study finds

#17

Post by pengaru »

thomasfl wrote: post #10
chrisco255 wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Among men? I would imagine lower testosterone levels.

Sadly, men get sterile if they start taking testosterone.

Citation needed, I see no mention of this @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androgen_replacement_therapy#A...

Re: Metabolism peaks at age one and tanks after 60, study finds

#18

Post by TeMPOraL »

bildung wrote: post #15
chrisco255 wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Among men? I would imagine lower testosterone levels.

Aren't lower testosterone levels a result of lack of exercise and thus weight gain, instead of the cause of weight gain?

Could be both. Our bodies are made of feedback loops.

Re: Metabolism peaks at age one and tanks after 60, study finds

#19

Post by Radim »

inglor_cz wrote: post #14
oblio wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, some conditions could probably cause it, but those are conditions are rare. Considering obesity is headed towards affecting 50% of the population in developed countries, those conditions are not a valid excuse for the vast majority of people. For this vast majority of people, it's lack of exercise and mental state, as you say.

I turned 43 today. I probably exercise more than when I was 23 and I definitely eat much more carefully - no processed crap anymore, no alcohol, very little sugar. My insulin sensitivity seems to be almost perfect (at least the graphs produced by continuous glucometer say so). I am still a bit worse off around my waist than I was twenty years ago. Not dramatically so, but at least 4 inches, perhaps 6. With lifestyle…

Happy birthday inglor!

Dad bod is a real thing; I've heard explanations that relate it to the "parental stage" of your life. The body accumulates energy reserves for the sleepless nights & bouts of fatherly activities. Probably happens whether you have kids or not; a dad bod (to a degree) doesn't have to signal poor health. Just changing priorities.

FWIW, I haven't changed my weight or body proportions since I was 17, except a few cm in the waist. I turned 40 this June, two kids in.

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