Nutrient Intake and Menopausal Symptoms in Perimenopausal Women

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Science
• Women's Health
• Menopause Research

Background:

• Perimenopause significantly impacts women's health and wellbeing.
• Dietary factors are crucial for managing perimenopausal symptoms.
• Understanding nutrient intake is vital for targeted dietary advice during this life stage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess nutrient intake in Irish perimenopausal women against established dietary guidelines.
• To explore the relationship between specific nutrient intakes and reported menopausal symptoms.

Main Methods:

• Recruited Irish women over 40 experiencing perimenopause.
• Collected dietary data via 4-day food diaries.
• Assessed symptom severity using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) and analyzed nutrient-symptom associations using hierarchical multiple regression.

Main Results:

• Participants frequently failed to meet dietary reference values (DRVs) for fiber, vitamin D, calcium, and iron.
• Intake of saturated fat exceeded recommended guidelines.
• Higher Vitamin E intake correlated with increased urogenital symptom scores (β = 0.405, p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• Adherence to dietary guidelines is inconsistent among midlife women.
• Nutritional deficiencies and excesses may affect current and future health.
• Public health interventions are necessary to improve dietary habits in this population.