“Research has confirmed
menopause is linked to an increase in belly fat
but not an increase in overall weight”.1

Umbrella

What may the Alcohol Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • Menopause Weight Gain
  • Middle Age Spread
  • Midlife Weight Gain

Menopause

Does menopause cause weight gain?

In Is Menopause Making Me Put on Weight? No, But It’s Complicated: So Does Menopause Cause Weight Gain?, dated 12 March 2023, the author explains:

“The short answer is no. But it’s complicated.

When it comes to menopause and weight, it’s weight redistribution – not weight gain – that is actually a symptom. Research has confirmed menopause is linked to an increase in belly fat but not an increase in overall weight”.2

Weight Gain

How much weight may women put on as they enter menopause?

In Is Menopause Making Me Put on Weight? No, But It’s Complicated: So Does Menopause Cause Weight Gain?, the author also notes:

“Women commonly put on weight as they enter menopause. Research shows women aged 46-57 gain an average of 2.1kg over five years”.3

Menopause Weight Gain

In Looking After Yourself: Healthy Weight the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) explain:

“Women tend to gain weight as they age, whether they are experiencing menopause or not. On average, women between the ages of 45 and 55 years gain about half a kilo per year”.4

Cause

If menopause does not cause weight gain, what does?

The JH also note:

“Many women think weight gain is part of menopause, but it’s more likely due to ageing and associated lifestyle changes”.5

Look for A Pattern

How may I Look for A Pattern with weight gain during menopause?Menopause Weight Gain Pattern

One way to Look for A Pattern with weight gain during menopause is to keep a food diary. In Steps for Improving Your Eating Habits: Reflect the (United States) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention include a Food Diary and elaborate on:

“Create a list of your habits.

For a few days, write down everything you eat and drink, including sugary drinks and alcohol. Write down the time of day you ate or drank the item. This will help you uncover your habits. This diary may help.

Note how you felt when you decided to eat, especially if you were not hungry. Were you tired? Stressed?”6

Hormone Therapy

Is there an association between hormone therapy (HT) and weight gain?

In Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) – Weight Gain and HRT the (United Kingdom) NHS note:

“There’s little evidence that most types of HRT make you put on weight.

You may gain some weight during the menopause and as you get older, but this often happens whether you take HRT or not”.7

Health Care Provider

What if I would like help to Look for A Pattern with my weight gain?

If you would like help to Look for A Pattern with your weight gain, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this. Together you can identify any patterns, discuss your options and if required, agree on who may be the most appropriate health care provider to help you.

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Sources

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Sources

  1. Fuller, N. Is Menopause Making Me Put on Weight? No, But It’s Complicated: So Does Menopause Cause Weight Gain? 12 March 2023. https://theconversation.com/is-menopause-making-me-put-on-weight-no-but-its-complicated-198308 Accessed: 08 July 2024
  2. Fuller, N. Is Menopause Making Me Put on Weight? No, But It’s Complicated: So Does Menopause Cause Weight Gain? 12 March 2023. https://theconversation.com/is-menopause-making-me-put-on-weight-no-but-its-complicated-198308 Accessed: 08 July 2024
  3. Fuller, N. Is Menopause Making Me Put on Weight? No, But It’s Complicated: So Does Menopause Cause Weight Gain? 12 March 2023. https://theconversation.com/is-menopause-making-me-put-on-weight-no-but-its-complicated-198308 Accessed: 08 July 2024
  4. Looking After Yourself: Healthy Weight. Last Updated: 19 January 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/looking-after-yourself#healthy-weight Accessed: 08 July 2024
  5. Looking After Yourself: Healthy Weight. Last Updated: 19 January 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/looking-after-yourself#healthy-weight Accessed: 08 July 2024
  6. Steps for Improving Your Eating Habits: Reflect. 02 January 2024. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-weight-growth/losing-weight/improve-eating-habits.html Accessed: 08 July 2024
  7. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) – Weight Gain and HRT. Page Last Reviewed: 03 January 2023. NHS https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/side-effects/#weight-gain-and-hrt Accessed: 08 July 2024
Topic Last Updated: 08 July 2024 – Topic Last Reviewed: 08 July 2024