Question: Why do so many women in their mid-fifties see a major increase in their waist measurement?

Dr. Hibberd's Answer:

The actual bony pelvis usually remains unchanged in mature adults, and the increased girth is usually fat caused by a lack of exercise and eating too much. It can raise your risk of many diseases including heart disease and diabetes.

Hormones play a major role in fat location and deposition, and definitely will exacerbate middle age spread, but they are not the most common reason. Some waist measurement is genetically determined, but an excess of calories combined with insufficient exercise is usually the major contributor.

So get out the jump rope, reactivate your bicycle, run or swim if you prefer, but stay aerobically active to minimize age-related changes in your metabolism. If you tire easily or have other symptoms of weakness etc., see your doctor to be checked for correctable conditions such as diabetes and hypothyroidism that are often associated with belly fat.