Menopausal age in various ethnic groups in Israel

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Epidemiology
• Sociology

Background:

• Menopause onset is influenced by diverse factors.
• Understanding ethnic and lifestyle variations is crucial for reproductive health research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of various parameters on age at menopause across five ethnic groups in Israel.
• To determine the relative importance of lifestyle factors versus ethnic origin on menopause timing.

Main Methods:

• Anonymous questionnaires administered to 1770 women from distinct ethnic backgrounds.
• Correlation coefficients and two-way analysis of variance used to analyze data.

Main Results:

• Obesity index, number of children (parity), and years of amenorrhea showed a positive correlation with age at menopause.
• Years of smoking demonstrated an inverse correlation with age at menopause.
• Lifestyle factors (obesity, parity, amenorrhea, smoking) were found to be more influential than ethnic origin.

Conclusions:

• Lifestyle modifications and health behaviors significantly influence menopause timing.
• Ethnic differences in menopause age can be attributed to variations in lifestyle factors, such as parity and smoking habits.
• Regular updates of such studies are essential due to the dynamic nature of modern lifestyle habits.