Traversing the menopause: changes in energy expenditure and body composition

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Endocrinology
• Metabolic Health
• Cardiovascular Disease Risk

Background:

• Menopause transition involves physiological changes impacting women's health outcomes.
• Loss of ovarian function increases risks for metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
• Focus on energy expenditure, body composition, and fat distribution during postmenopause.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review changes in energy expenditure, body composition, and fat distribution during the menopause transition.
• To analyze the impact of menopause on resting metabolic rate and physical activity.
• To examine changes in fat mass and abdominal fat accumulation postmenopause.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on menopause and metabolic changes.
• Analysis of longitudinal data on energy expenditure and body composition.
• Examination of cross-sectional data regarding body mass index and total body fat.

Main Results:

• Menopause may reduce resting metabolic rate, independent of aging, due to decreased fat-free mass.
• Significant decreases in physical activity energy expenditure observed during menopause transition.
• Longitudinal data show increases in fat mass and accelerated abdominal fat accumulation postmenopause.
• Hormone replacement therapy may prevent increased abdominal adipose tissue accumulation.

Conclusions:

• Menopause transition induces reductions in resting metabolic rate, physical activity expenditure, and fat-free mass.
• Menopause transition leads to increases in fat mass and abdominal adipose tissue.
• These metabolic and body composition changes likely contribute to increased cardiovascular disease risk in postmenopausal women.