Weight gain and an increased waist are often considered inevitable rules when entering middle age. However, a new study from the City of Hope Medical Center and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has shed light on the underlying biological cause behind the phenomenon. And the culprit is an unknown fat cell.
New type of fat cells cause belly fat accumulation
According to scientists, the appearance and rapid development of a new type of fat cell, named CP-A, is the main factor leading to belly fat accumulation at age 40.
These cells were found to tend to form and thrive in middle age, then gradually decrease later on.
In the study, scientists followed the fat development process in mice of different ages. The results showed that while young mice barely created any more fat, 12-month-old mice, equivalent to an age of about 40 in humans, began to store significant fat in the abdomen.
This phenomenon does not stop at animals. When examining fat tissue in middle-aged people, the research team discovered CP-A cells that acted similarly, thereby promoting the formation of deep fat in the abdomen.
Belly fat and disease risk
Not only affecting appearance, belly fat also carries many health consequences. Research shows that in middle age, the body tends to reduce energy expenditure, insulin resistance and dilate the waist. All of these are risk factors for heart disease and diabetes.
An important finding from this study shows that the fat generation process is quite restless in young age, but is activated in middle age. At the same time, it explains why although maintaining the same diet as before, there are many
The discovery of CP-A fat cells not only provides a new look at the causes of belly fat accumulation but also opens up hope in developing early intervention methods to prevent weight gain and age-related metabolic diseases.
