Women gain weight an average of 1.5 pounds every year which can lead to heart diseases, high blood glucose levels and hypertension.

‘Weight gain in the mid section increases risk of heart disease, abnormal blood glucose levels, lipid levels and high blood pressure.’

"This population of women faces multiple challenges for maintaining a healthy weight," says Ekta Kapoor, M.B.B.S., a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist and the study’s lead author. 




"Mood changes, sleep disturbances, hot flashes and the many other changes of menopause can disrupt what may have previously been a healthy lifestyle."
Mayo Clinic Women’s Health researchers recommend primary care providers screen this population of women for being overweight, and establish behavioral interventions, including psychological support, regular physical activity and changes in eating habits.
For those who are early into menopause, hormone therapy may be a consideration to manage menopausal symptoms. Decreasing menopausal symptoms enables women to focus on healthy lifestyle changes.
With hormones and metabolism against them, postmenopausal women face some of the highest rates of obesity in the country.
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"Targeting the lifestyle habits during midlife and beyond will help prevent further health consequences down the road. It’s never too late to start making healthy lifestyle choices."
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