The human body is basically a degenerative system which will show its true colors as we grow older. But age is basically an umbrella factor here and there are many underlying reasons for the increasing weight that we put on with age.

Different people are affected by different reasons depending on their body structure, internal health and genetic makeup. One of the key reasons of weight gain is the decrease in metabolic rate with age. We burn fat much slower than we did before and if diet is not controlled strictly then fat deposits can build up faster than ever before.

Another reason is the aging muscles which readily allow fat to be stored in the body instead of burning them into energy or turning them into lean muscle mass like before. Loss of muscle cells, easy muscle damage and shrinking lead to dead and tired muscles.

Decreases in growth hormone in both genders also contribute a lot to muscle deadening and weakening since the tissues lose their power to regrow and replenish easily. This means that lesser energy is now being utilized by the body so there is increasing amount of excess calories which are now getting stored in the system.

Strength building becomes very important for us as we grow older. It makes muscle mass grow stronger and better helping the body burn fat faster. It won’t be easy because with age our physical strength and abilities also diminish which does not give us the power and energy to work-out as we can do in our youth.

The internal organs are also affected and one begins to feel the debilitating effects of weaker heart and lung functions which lessen one’s physical abilities. All these together have an adverse effect on the body which begins to put on weight.

Though these are common to most people you will find variations from person to person. This means that the genetic makeup of that person allows him or her to lose or gain weight easily. Genetics can also be underlying reasons for organ health or failure in many cases.

Some health conditions definitely have genetic roots like diabetes and arthritis which are extremely debilitating conditions and prevent one from leading an active or healthy lifestyle easily. But with care and caution one can overcome even hurdles like this. Regular workout, proper medication and regulated diet can help a great deal.

In their case, age coincides with menopause which is one of the greatest contributors to female obesity. These along with the other debilitating factors that occur in any case make women easier victims of excess weight.

Increasing sedentary lifestyle coupled with unhealthy diets also lead to increasing obesity. Lifestyle is one of the major factors which lead to obesity and even more so for seniors. Dissociative social structure leads to increasingly single and lonely individuals who like to eat out rather than eat in alone.

Even older couples are eating out more instead of going through the hassle of home cooked meals. It is a hassle to cook every day but eating out means an unbalanced meal with overdose of unhealthy additives which not only affect overall health but show its ugly face through the layers of fat one is loaded with eventually.

Social and economic changes that have gone through tectonic shifts in the last century means that there is less manual labor and more cash power than ever before.  This means that people can afford to eat out more than they could even 30 years back. No matter how much greens you order with your steak, you will never get an all-healthy meal in a restaurant.

Today, individuals can afford to hire help easily and have no occasion to give in to any kind of physical labor since they have gadgets to help in all kinds of work. The only physical activity that remains is regular exercise. Unless you are really conscientious about it you cannot help your body in combating fat effectively and end up putting more weight than ever before.

Exercise is therefore essential, along with serious dietary restraint. Body can only endure as much so it is our job to help the body which will in turn help us lead a healthy and energetic old age. A simple yet a little strict diet and exercise regimen are it takes to fight obesity and maintain weight as we grow older.