Effect of Menopause on Body Weight
May 14, 2008 – 9:17 amMenopause marks a major life transition for women. A woman’s body stops producing estrogen and the body’s entire hormone balance changes. During the years immediately before and after menopause, many women experience mood changes, fatigue, and a general lack of energy or motivation.
Women also tend to gain weight and, regardless of weight gain, notice a change in their body shape toward a thicker waist and a more apple-shaped body resulting from the lack of estrogen. The hormone changes that go along with menopause are linked to a type of overweight called android obesity the accumulation of fat at the waistline.
This explains why many menopausal women complain that they are losing their waist seemingly without eating or exercising any differently. One group of researchers, however, found that reduced physical activity but not increased food intake appears to be a predictor of weight gain during the menopause years. It could be that because menopausal women may feel less energetic, they don’t put as much effort into their physical activity The best advice is to be prepared for these changes with an action plan for avoiding weight gain or regain.
The weight gain and increased waist circumference that are associated with menopause can be prevented with long-term lifestyle changes that include diet and physical activity. A study conducted at the University of Pittsburgh found that premenopausal women who reduced their caloric intake by about 1,000 to 1,500 calories per week and increased their physical activity did not gain weight and even reduced their waist circumference in the years around menopause.
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