Archive · 12 Aug 2026
Vidya Malavade opens up about “oestrogen belly” at 53
Vidya Malavade is an actor who starred in the sports movie Chak De!
India.
She is 53 years old and shared a message on Instagram about her body.
She said that over the last two years, she has developed what people call an “oestrogen belly.”
That is belly fat that some women notice as they get older.
Vidya admitted that accepting this change has been hard and that she still struggles some days.
A doctor explained that “estrogen belly” is not a real medical term.
Hormone changes during menopause can change where the body stores fat.
Getting very little sleep and feeling stressed can also make belly fat worse.
The doctor said healthy food, exercise, good sleep, and relaxing help more than strict diets.
Bodies change naturally with age, and that is okay.
Vidya Malavade, 53, said on Instagram that an “oestrogen belly” has “crept in steadily” over the past two years and that she is learning to accept it.
The Chak De! India actor said she runs on about three hours of sleep each day because of night shoots, leaving her “brain dead and bone tired.”
Dr Gandhali Deorukhkar of Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai Central, said “estrogen belly” is popular on social media but is not an official medical diagnosis.
Hormonal shifts during perimenopause and menopause affect where fat is stored, but ageing, reduced muscle mass, stress, poor sleep, genetics, and lifestyle also play a part.
Experts advise strength training, a balanced diet rich in protein, good sleep, and stress management over restrictive diets, and recommend medical review for rapid changes.
- Who
- Vidya Malavade, 53-year-old actor known for Chak De! India, with expert commentary from Dr Gandhali Deorukhkar of Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai Central.
- What
- Malavade opened up on Instagram about physical changes over the past two years, including what she calls an “oestrogen belly,” and about working night shoots on only three hours of sleep.
- When
- Not specified in the article; the changes Malavade describes took place over the last two years.
- Where
- Shared on Instagram; the expert commentary comes from Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai Central, India.
- Why
- To normalise natural body changes in women in their 50s and draw attention to the health factors behind abdominal fat.
- Subject
- Vidya Malavade, 53-year-old actor
- Known for
- Chak De! India
- Topic
- “Oestrogen belly” and body changes in women in their 50s
- Medical status
- Not an official medical diagnosis, per Dr Gandhali Deorukhkar
- Expert quoted
- Dr Gandhali Deorukhkar, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai Central
- Contributing factors
- Hormonal shifts, ageing, reduced muscle mass, stress, poor sleep, genetics, lifestyle
- Recommended approach
- Strength training, balanced diet, good sleep, stress management