why does one get obese upon aging ?

Hi friends,

I wanted to start a discussion here, which is intriguing many members' minds........why does one get obese as age increases ? It sounds as if we ate only one cup of rice ten years back, now also we eat the same amount, then why the hell, this body goes on increasing in weight ?

Let us have a discussion on this context. First , I would like to hear your ideas. Then, I will discuss, the technical rationale behind this phenomenon and the ways of dealing with it, later. The phenomenon does not apply to Radha and Sulakshana only, it applies to all. Probably, if Radha and Sulakshana were aware of the biology behind this phenomenon, they would not have become obese. Now let us forget them and start talking about ourselves. Right ?

 

Thanks for dropping in , Puni.

You are partly right. It is due to slowing metabolism. We will discuss more about it in detail, later. Got to go now. Soon, I will be back again.

 

It seems, all of you , who have dropped in know the concept of metabolism getting slow with advancing age.

That is right. In a simple way, Basal Metabolic Rate (B.M.R) means, the average calories , the body burns, per day , WHILE AT REST.

This slow, continuous and sustained release of energy (burning of calories) in this RESTING STATE, is sufficient only for the functioning of the vital organs only.

This B.M.R becomes slow as our age advances. Suppose, there is an individual, of age 20. Let us imagine, for his / her B.M.R, she burns 1800 kcal / day, in resting state. It will be 1500/day, when she reaches 30 and it will be 1200/day when she reaches 40. (men and women have slightly different B.M.Rs, but, for simplicity sake, I am not going into those minor details)

That means, the expenditure of energy in resting state goes on getting redced considerably, as explained above, with advancing age. But, our food intake remains the same. We ate four chapatis when we were 20. we ate four chapatis when we were 30. And , now , at 40, we are eating the same. The catch point is...........the appetite , in most , remains the same. If appetite goes on getting less with advancing age, then, the phenomenon of age related weight gain would not occur. But appetite remains the same. Hence, food intake also remains the same.

On one hand, the body expenditure of calories at resting state, goes on getting lesser and lesser , with advancing age. On the other hand, our food intake remains the same. So, naturally, the extra calories of food , starts getting deposited in our body, mainly in the form of fat.

Do I make sense, till now, friends ? Let us talk about the solution, a little later.

 

Hi Shanvy,

Yes, you are very much right. I left out Nalini. The serials she appears now, have to be made in 70 mm, to accomodate her, it seems.......! :rotfl

Your answer shows your perfect understanding. All the four points you mentioned are right. They do play a role in age related weight gain.

But, let us restrict, our discussion in this thread, to the issue of.......... how to address the issue of age ralated fall of B.M.R only.

Let us talk more soon.

 

yes, Bhuvnidhi,

Reduction of overall physical activities with advancing age is also a contributing factor.