In a big US study, the weight gain wasn’t linked to the menopause change itself. What did shift: deep belly fat, from about 2 years before the final period. It’s not just you.
Key facts and where they come from
Mean weight +2.1 kg over 3 years; change in menopausal status not associated with weight gain (3,064 women)
Sternfeld et al., American Journal of Epidemiology, 2004 (SWAN)More physical activity linked to smaller gains
Sternfeld et al., American Journal of Epidemiology, 2004 (SWAN)Visceral fat: no significant change >2 years before the final period; +8.2%/year in the 2 years before; +5.8%/year after (362 women)
Samargandy et al., Menopause, 2021 (SWAN Heart)
The studies behind it
Sternfeld B, Wang H, Quesenberry CP Jr, et al. Physical activity and changes in weight and waist circumference in midlife women: SWAN. Am J Epidemiol. 2004;160(9):912-22.
Read the sourceSamargandy S, Matthews KA, Brooks MM, et al. Abdominal visceral adipose tissue over the menopause transition and carotid atherosclerosis: the SWAN heart study. Menopause. 2021;28(6):626-633.
Read the source
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