Why does our butt grow?

With more than 15 million Britons working behind desks, our bottoms are getting bigger – a problem that has been dubbed ‘desk derriere’.

A recent study that scanned the buttocks of inactive people found muscle was shrinking and breaking down due to lack of exercise.

The research at Tel Aviv University also showed that fat cells thrive in the buttocks of those who lead a sedentary lifestyle, causing thick layers of fat to develop deep inside muscle tissue.

nsufficient activity and a poor diet are the main causes of desk derriere but other factors also play a role.

‘The hip flexor muscles, found at the front of the hip, become overactive and tight if an individual spends all day sitting,’ explains Chris Jones, professional head of physiology at Nuffield Health.