There are lean times ahead

IT happens seemingly overnight: a slim, curvy waistline is replaced by a stubborn, hard-to-shift paunch. Equally frustrating, the diet tricks we used in our 20s are no longer effective in shedding pounds in our 40s.

There’s good news. As research uncovers the reasons why we get middle-aged spread, scientists and nutritionists are learning of more ways to fight it. By studying the intricate changes in metabolism that slow down our bodies’ fat-burning as we age and what influences them — from hormone havoc to relentless stress — they have uncovered small, simple, yet effective ways we can boost them again, and boost them for life.

So, what’s causing your middle-aged middle, and, most importantly, what can you do about it?