30 January 2026
Body Composition and Age: The Changes You’ll Notice Over Time
Small changes now can help you live longer and age well.
If your trousers are feeling a little tighter around the middle or your arms are softer than they used to be, it could be thanks to age-related changes in your body. You don’t need to panic; this happens to everyone. However, it’s useful to know what’s going on so you can take back control.
As you get older, your body composition changes a little. Essentially, body composition refers to the amount of fat, bone and muscle in your body. When you age, your muscle density and bone mineral density tend to decline. On the flip side, your fat mass usually creeps up, especially around your tummy.
There is good news however; the steps you take during your twenties, thirties and onwards, can have a big impact on your body composition as you age.
As you get older, your body composition changes a little. Essentially, body composition refers to the amount of fat, bone and muscle in your body. When you age, your muscle density and bone mineral density tend to decline. On the flip side, your fat mass usually creeps up, especially around your tummy.
There is good news however; the steps you take during your twenties, thirties and onwards, can have a big impact on your body composition as you age.
Why You Need to Maintain Muscle
Muscle isn’t just for bodybuilders and athletes. Every single person needs muscle to simply move and get through life. So, when your muscle starts to decline, you’ll know about it as everyday tasks - think carrying the shopping or walking up the stairs, just feel tougher. You might ache more and just generally feel weaker. But muscle isn’t just about strength.
Research has found that having more muscle mass and less body fat at midlife is linked to not only higher quality-of-life scores in old age but also greater chances of living to 90!
A huge UK Biobank study which involved over 440,000 participants also reinforced this as it found that low muscle volume is linked to higher all-cause mortality, again suggesting that maintaining muscle mass while keeping body fat in check can help with healthy aging.
Research has found that having more muscle mass and less body fat at midlife is linked to not only higher quality-of-life scores in old age but also greater chances of living to 90!
A huge UK Biobank study which involved over 440,000 participants also reinforced this as it found that low muscle volume is linked to higher all-cause mortality, again suggesting that maintaining muscle mass while keeping body fat in check can help with healthy aging.
But why is muscle so vital? The more muscle you have, the better your body responds to insulin. This helps to keep blood glucose levels stable and lowers your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Muscle also supports your joints, reducing the chance of weak, aching joints, and reduces the risk of falls, something which becomes far more common as you age. Muscle helps to reduce inflammation too, which can help to lower your risk of certain health problems that are linked to chronic inflammation.
Muscle can also help to counteract visceral fat, the bad type of fat that sits around organs. This type of fat has been linked to all sorts of conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, sarcopenia (muscle loss) and osteoporosis, so keeping visceral fat levels low, can help you live a healthier life.
Muscle also supports your joints, reducing the chance of weak, aching joints, and reduces the risk of falls, something which becomes far more common as you age. Muscle helps to reduce inflammation too, which can help to lower your risk of certain health problems that are linked to chronic inflammation.
Muscle can also help to counteract visceral fat, the bad type of fat that sits around organs. This type of fat has been linked to all sorts of conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, sarcopenia (muscle loss) and osteoporosis, so keeping visceral fat levels low, can help you live a healthier life.
How To Build and Maintain Muscle
Now you know just how important muscle is, how do you make sure you aren’t losing it? Resistance training is your best bet, working with weights, such as dumbbells, or your own bodyweight. Aiming for two to three sessions a week can help to fight back against age-related muscle loss and help you live longer. Make sure you’re challenging your muscles, using the correct form to avoid getting injured.
Before you train, understanding your starting point makes a difference. Technogym Checkup uses AI-powered assessments to evaluate strength, balance, mobility, and body composition, helping you identify priorities, personalize your approach, and track progress over time.
AI-powered solutions such as Technogym Biostrength line, can guide you through exercises correctly and give you feedback.
Feed your muscles too, which will help them grow. Make sure every meal you eat has a source of protein; this could be chicken, beef, eggs, tofu, dairy or fish. A whole food diet generally will help to reduce visceral fat, so look to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables as well as wholegrain carbs and small portions of healthy fats such as nuts and avocado.
Processed foods - think pastries, cakes, chocolate, ready meals, salami and sausages - are OK every so often, but just make sure they make up a small proportion of your diet.
Before you train, understanding your starting point makes a difference. Technogym Checkup uses AI-powered assessments to evaluate strength, balance, mobility, and body composition, helping you identify priorities, personalize your approach, and track progress over time.
AI-powered solutions such as Technogym Biostrength line, can guide you through exercises correctly and give you feedback.
Feed your muscles too, which will help them grow. Make sure every meal you eat has a source of protein; this could be chicken, beef, eggs, tofu, dairy or fish. A whole food diet generally will help to reduce visceral fat, so look to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables as well as wholegrain carbs and small portions of healthy fats such as nuts and avocado.
Processed foods - think pastries, cakes, chocolate, ready meals, salami and sausages - are OK every so often, but just make sure they make up a small proportion of your diet.
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