Weight and appetite experts from around the world discuss sex differences in obesity (obesity effects).
One line of discussion looked at factors leading to women’s weight gain during menopause (menopause weight gain), and how it might be avoided.
“One of the most interesting things that came out of the conference – with applicability to large numbers of women – was the discussion about why women gain weight during menopause,” said Dr Sainsbury-Salis.
“So many women get confused when they start to gain weight during menopause, because their eating habits haven’t changed.”
“What the research shows clearly is that menopause causes a dramatic and sudden reduction in physical activity levels. Just prior to menopause, women halve their amount of activity compared to pre-menopause levels.”
“So one reason women gain weight in menopause is because of a reduction in energy expenditure. Combine this with unchanged eating habits and weight gain is almost inevitable.”
“We don’t know exactly why menopausal women stop moving as much. But we know it’s not because of their age and the lifestyle constraints happening at that time of life.
Research suggests it’s directly related to the lack of oestrogen, which has dramatic effects on signals the brain sends to the body.
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