Jonathan Wanagat, MD, PhD, was featured in a February NPR story exploring why humans gain weight as they age. It is commonly understood that we grow heavier as we grow older, but scientists are still deepening their understanding of how and why this occurs. One factor, highlighted in the story, is the weakening and shrinking of muscles. Muscles play a role in managing weight because they burn calories. However, when there is less muscle, more calories become converted to fat, leading to weight gain. Dr. Wanagat investigates the reasons muscles shrink as we age, and the effects of exercise on the weight-gain and aging processes. Regular exercise increases joint and muscle size and strength, which will help protect from the problems that come with age. Dr. Wanagat is a researcher and geriatrician in the Department of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles. He was the recipient of a 2009 Paul Beeson Career Development Award in Aging Research.
