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Do You Gain Weight During Menopause

Struggling with weight gain at any time is frustrating, but this is especially true during menopause when your body is enduring a host of other changes. Being heavier in the midst of menopause is common. But both hormone changes and general aging factors are said to play roles in weight gain at mid-life. Understanding your aging body and taking preventive steps as you reach menopause is key to maintaining a healthy weight.

  1. What to Expect

    • Most women in their 40s and 50s find that keeping their usual weight is drastically more difficult when undergoing the menopausal transition, according to MayoClinic.com. You might notice that exercising and eating your normal portion is not having the same effect it once did. Despite perceptions that menopause brings with it an abrupt weight gain, Dr. Margery Gass, with the North American Menopause Society, says the pounds are more likely an accumulation over the last 10 to 15 years. Women in their mid-30s typically gain one to two pounds a year, Gass says, resulting in an increase of about 25 pounds at the time of menopause.

    Causes

    • According to an article in the journal Postgraduate Medicine, researchers believe menopause may trigger adverse changes in a woman's fat distribution. These hormonal shifts can alter your body composition, resulting in weight gain. Growing older also comes with the loss of muscle, says Gass, as you lose the same energy-burning level of younger years. In addition, natural fibers in the body begin to relax, leading to a chronic lack of elasticity and tone. Menopausal women also tend to exercise less, eat more and burn less calories.

    Effects

    • Serious health implications can arise from weight gain in later years. Excess pounds increase your risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and insulin resistance, according to MayoClinic.com. These health issues can lead to heart disease or possible stroke. Evidence also shows that gaining significant weight after menopause increases a woman's breast cancer risk by almost 20 percent, according to MayoClinic.com.

    Prevention/Solution

    • It's never too early to start a healthy weight regimen. Weight gain and increased waist circumference can easily be prevented through lifestyle intervention in healthy menopausal-aged women, according to data from the Women's Healthy Lifestyle Project, a national comprehensive study. Primary prevention and reversal methods include: increasing your physical activity, reducing your calorie intake and decreasing your dietary fat. Exercise also helps prevent some muscle loss, adds Gass, so raising your body awareness in your mid-30s is your best line of defense.

    Considerations

    • Genetic factors can also affect weight gain in menopausal women. If your family members struggled with obesity, you are more susceptible to similar health issues. Genes and behavior, however, both contribute to weight gain.

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