Week of: February 20, 2000
MENOPAUSE AND WEIGHT GAIN
Some women gain weight when they go though menopause. Why does this happen? While most people assume weight gain is strictly a result of eating too much or exercising too little, there may be other factors affecting weight at this stage of life. Weight gain during menopause may be "nature's protective way" of preserving estrogen, a hormone that decreases during menopause. Since fat cells can produce estrogen at this stage of life, weight gain may help reduce the severity and frequency of menopausal symptoms.
A woman may gain between 10-15 pounds (4.5-7 kg) of weight during her menopausal years. This weight gain can make women feel unhappy or out-of-control and they may turn to dieting as the solution. However, starving or depriving yourself of favourite foods will not keep the weight off in the long run. Skipping meals and chronic under-eating actually slows down your metabolism making it even harder to lose or maintain your weight. It can also leave you malnourished with little energy to perform everyday tasks. Instead of dieting, follow Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating, be physically active and find ways to feel good about yourself as your body goes through this natural and important change.
Healthy eating means eating regular meals and including a variety of food choices. Each day try to choose:
- 5-12 servings of whole grain bread, pasta, cereal, rice or other grain products;
- 5-10 servings of vegetables and fruit;
- 2-4 servings of calcium-rich foods like milk, yogurt, fortified soy milk, cheese, salmon or sardines with bones;
- 2-3 servings of meat, fish, poultry or meat alternatives like beans, lentils, nuts or tofu.
Physical activity can help menopausal women maintain muscle mass, improve bone mass and maintain a healthy weight. Everyone naturally loses some muscle mass as they get older and this loss can slow down metabolism and contribute to weight gain. Strength training activities, such as lifting weights are very effective at building muscle mass and can boost metabolism in the long term. Aerobic activities such as brisk walking, dancing or aerobics are helpful because they work the heart and lungs, use energy and help build muscle. Both strength training and aerobic activities are needed for overall health. Find activities that you enjoy and then strive to be active everyday.
Menopause is a time in life where body composition changes. Staying active and eating regular meals and snacks will help you feel happy about your body and make this time of change easier.
WRITTEN BY THE PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITIONISTS OF SASKATCHEWAN
References
Harvard Women's Health Watch, "Middle-Age Spread," 1995.
Mayo Clinic Woman's Health Source, "Menopausal Weight Gain," Internet, December, 1998.
McCabe, Randi E., Mills, Jennifer S., Polivy, Janet. "The Myth of Dieting: Confronting Weight Gain in the Menopausal Years," A Friend Indeed, March/April 1999.
