Longitudinal changes in weight in perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women: effects of dietary energy intake, energy expenditure, dietary calcium intake and hormone replacement therapy

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:To investigate whether energy intake or energy expenditure affects 5-7 y weight gain in perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women, and whether hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use or dietary calcium (Ca) intake are contributory factors. DESIGN: Longitudinal, observational study of healthy women around the menopause. SUBJECTS: A total of 1064 initially premenopausal women, selected from a random population of 5119 women aged 45-54 y at baseline. In all, 907 women (85.2%) returned 6.370.6 y later for repeat measurements. Of these, 36% were postmenopausal (no HRT) and 45% had taken HRT, and 898 women completed the questionnaires. MEASUREMENTS: Weight, height, estimation of energy intake by food frequency questionnaire and physical activity level (PAL) by questionnaire. RESULTS: Change in PAL influenced weight change explaining 4.4% (P ¼ 0.001) of the variation. Alterations in dietary energy intake also had a small but significant effect (0.6% P ¼ 0.013). Dietary Ca intake had no effect on weight or weight change. CONCLUSION: Mean weight had increased and was influenced more by reduced energy expenditure rather than increased energy intake. HRT and dietary Ca intake did not influence weight gain.

Longitudinal changes in dietary intake in Scottish women around the menopause: changes in dietary pattern result in minor changes in nutrient intake

“…This investigation examined 5-year change in diet in 898 perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women. We previously reported no difference in weight change between the groups 16 . Some changes in food patterns over 5 years were observed but changes in nutrient intakes were small.…”

Physical activity and obesity prevention: a review of the current evidence

“…These results may be interpreted in three different ways: (a) physical activity is an important factor in preventing weight gain, but the true association is not detectable because of measurement error; (b) less weight gain leads to better exercise adherence; a reverse causality argument; (c) the self-reported physical activity may be a proxy for a general healthy lifestyle; a confounding argument. In the current review an additional fourteen observational studies on physical activity and weight gain in adults have been identified, of which only two have included an objective measure to assess physical activity (Tataranni et al 2003;Ekelund et al 2005), whereas the other twelve studies have assessed physical activity by means of self-report (Rainwater et al 2000;Schmitz et al 2000;Sherwood et al 2000;Bell et al 2001;Wagner et al 2001;Ball et al 2002;Hu et al 2003;Koh-Banerjee et al 2003;Macdonald et al 2003;Droyvold et al 2004;Petersen et al 2004;Wenche et al 2004).…”

Department of Health Research Initiative on Nutrition Phase 2: overview of findings and recommendations

“…The mean weight of the women had increased (independent of menopausal status) 33 . This could not be explained by an increase in food consumption since energy and total fat intakes had decreased significantly (albeit slightly) in most of the hormonal groups and, overall, the diet had not changed significantly for the majority of women 34,35 . However, physical activity levels (as assessed by measurement of physical activity level, PAL) had decreased in the majority of women.…”

“…Papers have been published (Macdonald et al, 2001a(Macdonald et al, , 2001b and more have been submitted (Macdonald et al, 2002a(Macdonald et al, , 2002b(Macdonald et al, , 2002c(Macdonald et al, , 2002d). …”