Menopausal obesity--myth or fact?

Abstract

Obesity, particularly with central fat distribution, and mortality from all causes are directly related in middle-aged women. Many studies have shown that women in their mid-life tend to gain weight, with a shift to visceral fat distribution. The etiology of perimenopausal obesity is not fully known, and it remains unclear whether excessive weight gain and changes in fat distribution at menopausal age result from climacteric changes or are related to the process of aging of the individual and/or to changing life-style factors. Obesity may have a genetic background. It is well established that an excessive amount of energy intake and too small an energy expenditure is crucial for the development of obesity. Diet composition also plays a role in the pathogenesis of obesity. Neuropeptides appear to be one of the factors that control food intake and nutrient balance. The aging process in women is associated with progressive declines in the levels of many hormones including estrogens, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor I (GH-IGF-I). These endocrine perturbations may result in altered body composition and weight gain. Obesity in postmenopausal women is accompanied by many metabolic disturbances leading to increased mortality.