[Evaluation of visceral adipose tissue and lipid level in premenopausal and postmenopausal women's]

Postmenopausal women present weight gain and intensification of obesity, especially visceral adipose tissue (VAT) increases in postmenopausal women. But it is still not clear whether abdominal fat increases during this stage independently of body weight.

compare the VAT and lipid profile between postmenopausal and premenopausal Mexican women.

A case control study in postmenopausal women matched for BMI with premenopausal women. Anthropometric and laboratory measurements as well as body composition analysis were performed.

VAT was increased in postmenopausal women in contrast with premenopausal women (114.8 ± 39.5 vs 97.3 ± 29.0, p<0.05). Compared with premenopausal women, postmenopausal women showed higher total cholesterol (231 .6 ± 56.1 vs 206.8 ± 29.5 p <0.05), and LDL-cholesterol levels (145.9 ± 48.3 vs 121.7 ± 34.1, p < 0.05), whereas H DL-cholesterol remained unchanged.

The results of the present study have demonstrated that Mexican postmenopausal women had a significant increment in visceral adipose tissue and in other metabolic risk factors, independent of the body mass index.