Lipoproteins and BMI: a comparison between women during transition to menopause and regularly menstruating healthy women

One hundred and forty-three women born 1942 were followed for 5 years during transition to menopause (49--54 years of age). Changes in menopausal status, body mass index (BMI) and circulating lipoproteins cholesterol, (chol), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein, (HDL) and total triglycerides (TG) were measured, once yearly and compared with a control group of normally menstruating healthy, non-smoking women 23--39 years old.

Chol was significantly higher P<0.0001 in the study group visits 1--5 when compared with the controls and higher at visit 4 compared with visit 1(P<0.05) LDL was significantly lower in the study group and at visit 5 compared with visit 2 (P<0.05) HDL was significantly lower at visits 1--3 and 5 when compared with the controls (P<0.001) and to visit 4 (P<0.0001). TG was significantly higher in the study group (P<0.0001) and increased significantly during the 5-year study. BMI was significantly higher in the older women (P<0.001) and increased during 5-years of study (P<0.0001). When multiple stepwise regression analyses were performed at visit 5 using education, menopausal status, use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), BMI and smoking as predictor variables, postmenopausal status was found to be significantly associated with high LDL (P<0.3), while high BMI significantly predicted low HDL and high TG levels. Perimenopausal status was significantly associated with high HDL levels.

Age, BMI and menopausal status are significant predictors of circulating lipoprotein levels during transition to menopause.