The menopause and obesity

Menopause tends to be associated with an increased risk of obesity and a shift to an abdominal fat distribution with associated increase in health risks. It is likely that the changes in body composition at menopause are caused in part by the decrease in circulating estrogen and, for fat distribution shifts, the relative increase in the androgen-estrogen ratio. Clinicians need to be aware of the likelihood of weight gain during the perimenopausal and postmenopausal years because behavioral strategies for weight loss can be effectively used in this population. Weight loss or prevention of weight gain is likely to have significant health benefits for older women.