What Are the Causes of Fat Gain During Menopause?

Weight gain and menopause go hand-in-hand for approximately 90 percent of women, and can occur between the ages of 35 and 55. Here are some facts about some of the ways these two conditions are linked.

Body Chemistry

• During menopause, when women's bodies no longer require the hormonal levels needed for child bearing, physical changes lead to an increase in body fat (see Resources).

Estrogen and Fat

• As estrogen levels decrease, the female body seeks other sources for this hormone. Fat cells produce a minimal level of estrogen, and by increasing the number of fat cells during menopause, the female body is maintaining a source for this diminishing hormone (see Resources).

Weight Gain, Estrogen and Osteoporosis

• Bones require stress to keep them functioning. As estrogen levels diminish and weight gain occurs during menopause, the additional pounds assist in avoiding or decreasing the possibility of osteoporosis (see Resources).

Changes in Lean Muscle Mass

• Decreasing levels of testosterone lead to the accumulation of fat by inhibiting the body's ability to produce the lean muscle mass required for efficient calorie burning (see Resources).

Stress

• Stress is a causative factor in weight gain and can occur as the result of many factors, including the feeling of helplessness as changes in fat distribution on the body make it difficult to maintain the pre-menopausal body shape.