Ep.38 Richie Kirwan: Muscle loss, body-fat types and metabolic health

The Health Scientist Podcast

A slightly different podcast this week as I'm the guest.

I was honoured to speak with Astrid Naranjo, otherwise known as the Antidiet_dietitian. We spoke about my PhD research into sarcopenia, sarcopenic obesity, body fat distribution and metabolic health and Astrid was good enough to allow me to share it as a podcast.

Astrid is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian (APD) originally from Venezuela but now practicing in Southport Private Hospital, Australia. Astrid has a masters degree in Nutrition and Dietetic Practice from Bond University, Gold Coast.

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In this episode we cover:

• What is sarcopenia and when does it start?
• What causes muscle loss as we age?
• What is anabolic resistance and why do we need more protein as we age?
• What is the relationship between muscle loss and conditions like heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis?
• How can sarcopenia lead to an increase in body fat?
• Why is sarcopenic obesity such a major public health issue?
• How much muscle can people lose from their 20s to their 80s?
• Why is the loss of muscle strength even more important?
• How can menopause affect muscle loss in women?
• Why does fat distribution change in women after menopause and how does it affect health?
• What role can HRT play in metabolic health?
• What is inflammation, what is its role in disease and why the term used too frequently in popular media?
• What can lead to chronic, low-grade inflammation?
• How we store fat, fat cells and its role inflammation.
• What is dysregulated fat tissue and how can it lead to diabetes and heart disease?
• Are all people with a normal body weight healthy and are all people with obesity unhealthy?
• What is metabolic healthy obesity and is it common?
• Why can some people with normal body weight be metabolically unhealthy?
• What is visceral fat?
• The importance of lifestyle change for improving metabolic health
• What are some of the exercise options for people (especially those with mobility problems) to improve their metabolic health?
• Should we argue about whether cardio or resistance exercise is better?
• The importance of finding a type of exercise that you love
• My research into how COVID-19 lockdown may affect food and physical activity and its effects on sarcopenia