Study reveals that menopause changes the way that fat is distributed, leading to more belly fat.
To mark World Menopause Day which fell on October 18, the International Menopause Society (IMS) has developed a state-of-the-science review on weight gain at the menopause which is published in the peer-reviewed journal, Climacteric. The review reveals that going through the menopause does not cause a woman to gain weight. However, the hormonal changes at the menopause are associated with a change in the way that fat is distributed, leading to more belly (abdominal) fat. Thus the evidence points out that absolute weight gain is determined by non-hormonal factors, rather than the menopause itself.
The key finding was that the way fat is deposited changes at the menopause; studies indicate that this is due to the drop in estrogen levels at that time. After the menopause, women experience a shift in their fat stores to their abdomen.
According to review leader, Professor Susan Davis, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, “It is a myth that the menopause causes a woman to gain weight. It’s really just a consequence of environmental factors and ageing which cause that. But there is no doubt that the new spare tyre many women complain of after menopause is real, and not a consequence of any changes they have made. Rather, this is the body’s response to the fall in estrogen at menopause: a shift of fat storage from the hips to the waist”.
Dr Duru Shah, Member of the Board of the International Menopause Society and Past President of the Indian Menopause Society was also a part of the study. According to Dr Shah, “This article to which I have contributed is written by a group of Board members of the International Menopause Society based on various scientific studies reported in international journals. This article takes away the myth that menopause leads to obesity. What is clear from the scientific data is that fat gets redistributed to the abdominal with increased Cardiovascular disease. Hence, cardiac problems are usually seen in women following menopause and not before menopause”.
The review notes that increased abdominal fat increases the risk of future metabolic disease, such as diabetes and heart disease, in postmenopausal women. It also noted that, contrary to popular opinion, estrogen therapy (HRT) does not cause women to put on weight. There is good evidence that HRT can prevent abdominal fat increasing after menopause.
Professor Davis continued, “What this translates to in real terms is that women going through the menopause should begin to try to control their weight before it becomes a problem, so if you have not been looking after yourself before the menopause, you should certainly start to do so when it arrives. This means for all women being thoughtful about what you eat and for many, being more active every day.”
The IMS is calling for women to be more aware of the problems associated with excess weight, and to take early steps to ensure that they don’t gain excess weight after the menopause.
EH News Bureau