Post Menopause Women Tend To Grow Fat

enopause is associated with aging. As women age the metabolism decreases and they are unable to burn the calories that are consumed through the day doing nothing. Weight gain during menopause is a natural process of aging. The extra pounds that are gained every year with decreasing BMR, along with the extra calories during the mid-stage of their life can lead to obesity. Consequences of obesity are severe as it exposes the women to a risk of stroke, hypertension, sleep apnea, cancer, arthritis, mental health problems and various cardiovascular disorders.? If not controlled, over time it can give rise to serious issues and aggravate all the disorders (such as diabetes and hypertension) which can give rise to health problems. This can be fatal or cause irreversible damage. One of the most fatal diseases which are prevalent in this phase of a women’s life is heart disease. The rates of death due to heart failure are more common than breast cancer though it is preventable. More than two 60 % of American women are clinically overweight and women post menopauses are the more vulnerable. It also a known fact that women have a slower BMR than men and as they age, their BMR decrease further making them more prone to weight gain and getting obese. It has also been observed that post menopause; women gain the maximum weight around their abdomen. This could be due to the fact that

• Women post child births already have a tendency to put on weight at the abdomen
• Estrogen level decrease on reaching menopause. Due to this the fat distribution shifts and there is an increase in the androgen-estrogen ratio. Once the fat distribution changes, a women’s body is designed as such that the fat accumulation is more around waist and stomach, giving her a protruding tummy.
• Most women undergo mood swings and experience severe depression. Due to this they end up overeating which leads to piling on of the calories.

This makes it important for the doctor to be aware of weight gain during the perimenopausal and postmenopausal years as they need to be counseled on weight loss strategies. Loosing weight and preventing weight gain during menopause is beneficial for women. The phenomenon of weight gain is natural, so it cannot be totally avoided by adapting a few healthy ways which can make a world of difference. This includes working out regularly, having a balanced diet and avoiding stress. A common issue that women face in menopause is that of a bladder dysfunction. Women usually experience urine inconsistency which causes dribbling of urine when they laugh, sneeze or lift heavy weights. Due to this doctor usually recommend pelvic exercises as this strengthens their pelvic muscles and help to control the inconsistence. Controlling weight post pregnancy also helps to delay the onset of other related medical disorders such as diabetes, osteoporosis, arthritis and hypertension. It’s also beneficial for the heart and helps to avoid fatalities like heart attacks and strokes. It’s not a difficult task, a slight shift in the lifestyle and avoiding stressful situations helps to keep the weight in check