What age does menopause weight gain start?

On average, women aged between 45 and 55 years gain around half a kilo per year. As you get older, you lose muscle mass, which slows your metabolism and causes weight gain. So if your diet doesn't change, you are likely to gain weight.

betterhealth.vic.gov.au - Menopause and weight - Better Health Channel

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What is menopause?

Menopause is your final period. You know you’ve reached menopause if you have not had your period for 12 months. Many women think that gaining weight is part of menopause. But it’s more likely due to ageing and lifestyle changes.

Causes of weight gain in midlife

Ageing

Oestrogen and fat distribution

Reduced levels of oestrogen after menopause can cause fat to be stored around your waist rather than on your hips and thighs. In postmenopausal women, belly fat accounts for 15 to 20% of their total body weight, compared with 5 to 8% in premenopausal women.

Menopausal symptoms

Menopausal symptoms (such as hot flushes, poor sleep or low mood) can make it harder to exercise and eat healthy food, which may contribute to weight gain.

Life pressures

Around the time of menopause, different life pressures can make it hard to put your health first. For example, work pressures or caring for elderly parents.

Risks associated with belly fat

Fat stored around your belly is known as ‘visceral fat’. This type of fat is unhealthy as it is linked to: an increased risk of heart disease (one of the leading causes of death for women in Australia) (one of the leading causes of death for women in Australia) type 2 diabetes

breast cancer

dementia

increased menopausal symptoms, such as hot flushes.

What you can do

It’s important to achieve and maintain a healthy weight during the menopause transition. There are many things you can do to reduce weight gain and the risk of chronic disease.

Eat a healthy diet

Eating a healthy diet can prevent weight gain and improve energy levels.

A low-calorie or low-carb diet can help you lose weight. It can also help with other health issues (if you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or type 2 diabetes. Crash diets are not recommended for weight loss. Talk to your doctor or see a dietitian for advice.

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Do regular physical activity

Physical activity has many benefits. It can reduce the risk of chronic disease and help you manage your weight and menopause symptoms. It’s recommended you’re active on most (preferably all) days of the week. To lose weight, you will need to combine regular physical activity with reduced calorie intake.

Weekly exercise recommendations include:

2.5 to 5 hours of moderate intensity physical activity – such as brisk walking , golf , mowing, swimming

or

1.25 to 2.5 hours of vigorous intensity physical activity – such as jogging , aerobics, fast cycling , playing team sports.

Or you can do a combination of the above.

Muscle-strengthening activities are also recommended 2 days a week.

Other lifestyle changes

Prioritising sleep and limiting alcohol are also important.

Poor sleep is associated with eating more food and making poor food choices. Drinking too much alcohol can cause weight gain, interfere with your sleep and make menopause symptoms worse.

Menopausal hormone therapy

If menopausal symptoms are affecting your daily life and making it hard to exercise and eat well, ask your doctor about menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). MHT can also reduce the risk of some chronic diseases including heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It may also help to reduce belly fat after menopause.

When to see your doctor

Talk to your doctor if your menopause symptoms make it hard to do everyday activities. For example, if you:

are overweight and find it hard to lose weight

and find it hard to lose weight have problems sleeping

have strong emotions, anxiety or depression

or need help to limit or stop drinking alcohol.

It’s also recommended to see your doctor before you start a new fitness program. This is especially important if you have a pre-existing medical condition or haven’t been physically active for some time.

More information

For more detailed information, related resources, articles and podcasts, visit Jean Hailes for Women’s Health .

Where to get help

betterhealth.vic.gov.au - Menopause and weight - Better Health Channel

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