Nutrition & DietAge-Triggered Stem Cells Drive Belly Fat Surge in Middle Age
Researchers at City of Hope have identified a newly discovered type of stem cell that appears during aging and dramatically accelerates the creation of new fat cells around the abdomen. Published in Science, the study found that these stem cells — called adipocyte progenitor cells — become highly active in middle-aged mice, generating far more fat cells than their younger counterparts. Crucially, this fat-producing ability was built into the older cells themselves, not the environment they were placed in. The findings help explain why belly fat accumulates with age even when total body weight stays relatively stable, and point toward potential new therapies targeting these cells to reduce abdominal fat and support healthier aging.
