Understanding The Relationship Between Menopause And Weight Gain

Some evidence suggests that the way body fat is distributed in both men and women is associated with fluctuating hormone levels. As estrogen levels decline, for example, even if total body weight remains the same, increased visceral fat around the midsection may occur in some women. Mayo Clinic researchers have found evidence that genetics play a vital role in the amount and location of abdominal fat in postmenopausal women, while this did not appear to be true for women in premenopause.

The Healthy Women's Study engaged 541 healthy, initially premenopausal women, 42 to 50 years of age. About 20 per cent of these menopause women gained 10 pounds or more during the first 3 years of the study, while just 3 per cent lost that amount.

Weight gain was similar in women who remained premenopausal and those who became postmenopausal during this time. LDL cholesterol levels increased with weight gain for both premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

The factor that was most consistently related to weight gain was a decline in physical activity, and it was determined that the postmenopausal women were less physically active during leisure time than same-age premenopausal women.