Weight gain and the menopause: a 5-year prospective study.

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Endocrinology
• Human Physiology
• Menopause Studies

Background:

• Menopause is associated with significant physiological changes.
• Body composition shifts, including weight gain and altered fat distribution, are common concerns during this life stage.
• The role of hormone therapy (HT) in mitigating these changes requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prospectively examine changes in body weight, anthropometric measurements (skin-folds, waist circumference, waist/hip ratio), and their relationship with menopausal status, hormone therapy (HT) use, and lifestyle factors over five years.
• To determine if menopausal transition influences body composition and if continuous HT use affects these changes.

Main Methods:

• A 5-year prospective follow-up study of Australian women aged 46-57 years at baseline.
• Participants were categorized into premenopausal, perimenopausal, and hormone therapy (HT) user groups.
• Measurements included weight, skin-fold thickness, waist circumference, and waist/hip ratio.

Main Results:

• Mean weight gain was 2.1 kg over 5 years, with older women at baseline gaining less weight.
• Weight gain occurred in all menopausal groups except continuous HT users.
• Increases in suprailiac skin-fold, waist circumference, and waist/hip ratio were observed during menopausal transition, but not in continuous HT users.
• No association was found between weight change and baseline weight, exercise, alcohol, or smoking.

Conclusions:

• Weight gain is not directly related to menopausal status change or measured lifestyle factors.
• Body fat distribution (suprailiac skin-folds) and central adiposity (waist circumference, waist/hip ratio) increase during the menopausal transition.
• Continuous hormone therapy use appears to prevent weight gain and adverse changes in body composition during menopause.