Menopausal weight gain: What you need to know

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In women, menopause and weight gain seem to go hand in hand, especially since weight gain is so common in women after menopause. About 30% of women aged 50-59 are not only overweight, but possibly obese.

1. Causes of menopausal weight gain

Weight gain is a major cause of increased risk of diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, etc. The accumulation of fat around your waist increases these risks even more. Unfortunately, post-menopausal women are likely to have a larger waistline.
What happened at menopause that made it so easy to gain weight? This may be a mix of factors related to menopause and aging.
1.1. Menopausal weight gain due to the effects of estrogen
During perimenopause, progesterone hormone levels decrease slowly and steadily, while estrogen hormone levels fluctuate greatly from day to day and can even occur. out in one day.
In the early stages of perimenopause, the ovaries often produce extremely high amounts of estrogen. This condition is caused by a weak feedback signal between the ovaries, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland. Then, during perimenopause, when menstrual cycles become more erratic, the ovaries produce very little estrogen.
Some studies show that high estrogen levels can promote fat gain. This is seen when high estrogen levels are associated with weight gain and higher body fat storage during the reproductive years.
From puberty until menopause, women tend to store fat in the hips and thighs, in the form of subcutaneous fat. Although it can be difficult to lose, this type of fat does not increase the risk of other conditions. However, during menopause, low estrogen levels promote the storage of fat in the abdomen as visceral fat, which has been linked to insulin resistance causing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and many other health problems.
In some animal studies, it has been found that estrogen seems to help control body weight. With lower estrogen levels, experimental animals tended to eat more but did less physical activity. Decreased estrogen can also decrease metabolic rate, the rate at which the body converts stored energy into active energy. It is possible that the same thing happened in women when estrogen levels dropped after menopause.
Some evidence suggests that estrogen hormone therapy increases women's resting metabolic rate. This can help slow weight gain. A lack of estrogen can also make the body less efficient in using starches and blood sugar, thereby increasing fat storage and making weight loss more difficult.

1.2. Menopausal weight gain due to age-related factors
As women reach menopause, many age-related changes occur that contribute to weight gain, such as:
Less able to exercise : about 60% of adults are not active enough, and this increases with age. Aging also causes women to lose muscle mass, lowering their resting metabolism, making it easier to gain weight. With menopause, the rate at which a woman can use up energy during exercise decreases. To achieve the same energy expenditure as you did when you were younger, you may need to increase the duration or intensity of your exercise, regardless of your previous activity level.

2. How can menopausal weight gain affect health?

Menopausal weight gain can have a serious impact on a woman's health. Excess weight, especially body fat, increases the risk of health problems, including:
Respiratory problems Cardiovascular disease Type 2 diabetes In addition, excess weight can also cause problems. increases the risk of different types of cancer, such as:
Breast cancer Bowel cancer Uterine cancer

3. How to prevent weight gain during menopause

Basic things to help control weight, prevent menopausal weight gain that women can do, include:
Be more active: physical activity helps to keep fit and healthy. weight control. With more muscle mass, the body burns more calories, which makes it easier to control weight. For most healthy adults, experts recommend moderate activity like brisk walking for at least 150 minutes a week or vigorous activity like jogging for at least 75 minutes a week. In addition, strength training exercises are recommended at least twice a week.
Eat less: to maintain your current weight, you need to lose about 200 calories per day from the age of 50 onwards compared to when you are in your 30s - 40s. To reduce calories without causing nutritional deficiencies, you need to pay attention to your daily diet. Choose plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, especially those that are less processed and high in fiber. In general, the diet should be based on healthy plants as legumes, nuts, soybeans, fish and low-fat dairy products are good choices. Meat, such as red meat and chicken, should be eaten in limited quantities. Replace animal fat with vegetable oil such as olive oil,...
Eliminate the habit of eating sweets (if any): In the daily diet, sugar accounts for nearly 300 calories. Cut down on carbohydrates to reduce belly fat gain, which causes metabolic problems. You should limit the use of sugary drinks such as soft drinks, energy drinks, flavored waters, sweetened teas. Limit foods with excess sugar such as cookies, pies, cakes, doughnuts, candy, and ice cream.

Most women gain weight as they age, but that means you can't avoid being overweight. To minimize menopausal weight gain, women need to increase their activity level and follow a healthy diet, which needs to be formed into a long-term habit to be able to control weight in the best way. .
Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has a package of pre-menopausal health examination and counseling. When registering for an examination package, customers will be examined and consulted with a specialist in Gynecology; Perform tests to assess hormonal status such as:
Gynecological examination Gynecological examination, breast examination Transabdominal ultrasound of uterus and ovaries Taking samples for cervical-vaginal cytology Mammogram (2 sides) Osteoporosis Measurement Perform other tests to detect premenopausal conditions, if any. To register for examination and treatment at Vinmec International General Hospital, you can contact Vinmec Health System nationwide, or register online HERE.
References: mayoclinic.org, healthline.com, webmd.com
SEE ALSO
How long does the complete absence of menstruation take to be considered menopause? How does menopause affect women's health? Body changes during perimenopause and menopause