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Middle-age spread 'happens in two distinct stages'Date: 22/08/2007 10:18:12
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The wisdom of relying on Body Mass Index to assess whether a person is at a healthy weight has again been called into question after new research on middle-age spread.
A study carried out by scientists at the Medical Research Council looked at 1,044 people across ten years, with their height, waist circumference and weight was recorded at regular intervals.
They found that just 20 per cent of the participants maintained a stable weight over the period.
Of the younger participants, 42 per cent put on ten kilograms, while 17 per cent gained five kilograms.
Also, those in the older age group of the study gained least weight during the second half of the trial period, with weight gain found to be fastest among those in their younger years.
This led the team to conclude that the middle-age spread happens in two separate and distinct phases, with the initial weight gain and thickening of the waistline giving way to a levelling out of growth as muscle then turns to fat.
"This study is another sharp reminder that there are more ways of measuring fatness than simple weight," said Dr Ian Campbell, medical director of the charity Weight Concern.
"Everyone should regularly check their waistline, not just take a weekly step onto the bathroom scales. They may be giving false comfort."
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