How body fat impacts health and aging
from ZOE Science & Nutrition
by ZOE
Published: Thu Nov 30 2023
Show Notes
As we age, the distribution of our body fat changes, particularly around menopause.
Most people think of body fat as bad, but fat tissue plays a number of hugely important roles in our health.
In today’s episode of ZOE Science and Nutrition, Jonathan is joined by Dr. Sarah Berry and Prof. Deborah Clegg. Together, they debunk the myth that fat is bad, enlighten us about why body fat is distributed where it is, and explore the differences in fat distribution between men and women.
Deborah Clegg is a professor and Vice President for Research at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso. Her research focuses on sex differences in metabolism, adipose tissue, and the brain and the impact this has on our health. Dr. Sarah Berry is one of the world's leading experts on human nutrition. She has run more than 20 randomized clinical trials looking at how humans respond to different fats.
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Timecodes:
Intro
What is body fat?
What is healthy fat?
Female vs male body fat
Why is belly fat the most unhealthy?
Waist to hip ratio
How estrogen affects fat distribution
Perimenopause symptoms
Fat cells producing estrogen
Hunger the menopause
Weight gain and the menopause
Physical changes in men
Exercise and fat distribution
What to eat during menopause
Estrogen supplements
Mentioned in today’s episode:
Theevolutionary impact and influence of oestrogens on adipose tissue structure and function from Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 2023
Episode transcripts are available here.
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