Dear doctor;

I am 31 now but I have noticed that my hips are enlarging. Although I am still single and yet to give birth, it worries me a bit especially because I lately took to jogging and occasional gym sessions. Is it normal for a woman’s hips to enlarge so late in life like this? Does this mean my puberty is still on?

Hannah, Cyanika.

Dear Hannah,

Age has nothing to do with enlargement of hips. Actually, it occurs due to life style factors and female hormones. It can start anytime after puberty.  Female hormones estrogens are responsible for shape of the breasts and hips in women. The shape is maintained due to deposition of fat, naturally. When one consumes more calories than they can burn and  is not active physically, fat tends to deposit over the middle and hips. Sitting continuously for long hours aggravates the problem. Eating a high calorie diet including fatty fried foods, sugar containing foods,  snacking in between meals, soft drinks and alcohol consumption are all implicated in causing widening of hips.  

Remedy lies in avoiding fatty food, alcohol and soft drinks. Start doing some physical exercise regularly. There are specific exercises to trim hips. Also avoid sitting continuously for long hours, try to get up and move in between. If working, you can walk around the office room for 10-15 minutes every day. If the hips are abnormally big, size can be corrected by surgery. Big size of hips would not hinder child birth.