A study published in Menopause found that women with higher abdominal obesity experienced more severe menopause symptoms and different symptom patterns than those without.
Deep abdominal fat is metabolically active, releasing inflammatory compounds that worsen hot flashes, night sweats, sleep issues, forgetfulness and irritability by affecting insulin resistance and blood sugar regulation.
In women with abdominal obesity, symptoms like forgetfulness, irritability and night sweats became more central and interconnected, driving the overall symptom cluster.
Restrictive dieting worsens stress hormones, muscle loss and metabolic dysfunction; the goal is improving metabolic resilience, not rapid weight loss.
Resistance training (2-4 sessions/week), increased protein and fiber intake, post-meal walks and better sleep help reduce visceral fat and improve metabolic health during menopause.
A new study published in the journal Menopause suggests that abdominal fat, specifically visceral fat stored deep around the organs, may play an influential role in the severity of menopause symptoms. Researchers analyzed data from more than 1,100 women participating in the long-running Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN) at multiple research centers across the United States. The study sought to answer a growing question among researchers: How might metabolic health influence the menopause transition itself?
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