Ever wonder why your body suddenly decided to start stockpile fat like a doomsday prepper? Science finally has an answer, and it's not your late-night snacking habits.
As reported in Science, researchers at City of Hope discovered your body is running its own underground fat-making operation right under your nose (or more accurately, right around your belly).
Think of it like this: When you're young, your body keeps its fat-making cells on a tight leash. But hit middle age, and the fat cells go wild. It's the midlife rebellion you didn't ask for.
The scientists took these rowdy cells from older mice and put them in young mice. The young mice promptly developed the kind of belly that says "I've tried every diet except the one that works."
Your body apparently has this built-in self-sabotage switch that flips around the same time you start getting mail from AARP. It's like your cells hit 40 and decided, "You know what would be fun? Let's turn everything into fat!"
The good news? Scientists are working on ways to stop this cellular conspiracy. The bad news? Until then, your body will keep treating your waistline like a retirement savings account – constantly making deposits whether you want it to or not.
At least now when someone asks about your "dad bod," you can blame it on rebellious stem cells instead of those midnight pizza rolls. Though, let's be honest — it's probably both.
Previously:
• Your diets keep failing because your cells remember being fat, according to new study
