Why Six-Pack Abs Fade with Age — and Belly Fat Takes Over

Ever noticed how your belly feels softer as you get older, even if your weight stays the same? Scientists now know why.

A new study from the City of Hope and UCLA has found that as we age, our bodies start to create new fat cells, especially around the stomach.

This is not just about fat getting bigger. It is about your body making more fat from special stem cells.

“People often lose muscle and gain fat with age, even if they don’t gain weight,” said Dr. Annabel Wang, one of the lead researchers.

“We found that aging actually switches on a new type of cell that boosts belly fat.”

In simple terms: as you get older, your body switches on new fat-making factories.

The team tested this by taking fat cells from old mice and putting them in young mice.

The young mice suddenly started growing lots of belly fat, showing that the older fat cells were the real problem.

They also discovered that these older cells change into a new kind called CP-As, special belly-fat-making cells that only appear with age. They do not slow down like other body cells; they get busier.

There is even a special signal (called LIFR) that tells these CP-A cells to keep growing fat. Young bodies do not use it much, but older bodies rely on it.

And yes, this also explains why older cows have fattier and tougher meat, while young calves have lean, soft meat.

Age makes both animals and humans grow more fat.

So, what is next? Scientists hope to find ways to turn off these fat-making cells in older people,helping reduce belly fat without crazy diets or extreme workouts.

“Instead of just focusing on losing weight, we want to stop the body from making more fat in the first place,” said Dr. Wang.