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By Bob Otieno
Studies suggest that women are at a greater risk of gaining weight than men, and more so if the woman is on the verge of reaching her menopausal age. It has been established that there is a strong interrelation between obesity and menopause.
It is physically evident that woman tend to become obese as they advance in age and especially in their 40s. The situation is aggravated once women enter their menopause. It is also during this time that fat tends to accumulate on the upper body.
For instance, fat, which was evenly distributed around the body now settles into specific areas, such as around the waist, the abdomen and the back.
And every woman who has been subjected to this uncomfortable situation of belly fat, or lower abdominal fat accumulation during her menopausal years vouches that there is a direct connection between obesity and menopause.
The link between obesity and menopause
Menopause arises as a result of hormonal changes in the body of a woman. This affects body weight and has come to be known as mid-life weight gain. Usually this starts in the mid 40s when a woman’s ovaries tend to produce less oestrogen.
The hormone oestrogen is vital to many life-sustaining functions, and it being in minimal quantities at this age, the body looks for other places to generate the needed oestrogen.
Fat cells are known to produce oestrogen and therefore, the body reprogrammes itself to convert calories into fat to meet the needed hormone levels.
Therefore, to address the challenge of mid-life weight gain, addressing the fundamental issues of hormone imbalance must not be ignored.
Simply put, if your hormone balance is off, your weight problem will persist — no matter how much vegetables you eat, how many stairs you climb, or how many diet pills you consume.
Other Causes
Menopause also sparks off obesity in women because of the lifestyle changes that occur during this time. When add decreased physical activity to this, piling up of pounds become unavoidable.
Hormone changes during peri-menopause or menopause often give rise to mood swings and emotional changes. This is the time when a woman is most likely to indulge in emotional eating and reach out for food for comfort. Result? Instant weight gain.
Obesity in women who have not yet reached menopause can affect the hormone levels in the body and can trigger early symptoms of menopause. Hot flushes in younger obese women is a common symptom.
A healthy, well-balanced diet combined with moderate physical activity, therefore, help minimise the effect of menopausal symptoms.
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