If you are maintaining a healthy lifestyle but you're having trouble losing weight, it might be a good idea to contact a doctor, Dr. Knopman said. Gaining weight as you age is common, but belly fat specifically can be a red flag. If you have a tendency to gain weight in your belly "like your body's in an apple shape," Dr. Salas-Whalen said, that's something you can go to your primary care physician about.
"Or, go directly to the endocrinologist just to have yourself tested for your cholesterol, glucose, and blood pressure because of the health problems that we see associated with that type of weight gain," she continued. It's one thing to go through menopause and see belly fat, but if you've developed any of these underlying conditions, you may need treatment.