Early decrease in lean mass and bone mass in postmenopausal women: a cross-sectional study

• Published in: Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopause Society Vol. 25; no. 1; pp. 96 - 102
• Main Authors: Zandoná, J., Ferreira, C. F., de Oliveira, P. G., Ferreira, F. V., Vasconcelos, A. O., Wender, M. C. O.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 01-02-2022; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Absorptiometry, Photon; Adipose Tissue - metabolism; Body Composition; Body fat; Body Mass Index; Bone Density; Child, Preschool; Cholesterol; climacteric; Cross-Sectional Studies; dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan; Female; Humans; Menopause; Obesity - metabolism; Postmenopause - metabolism; Questionnaires; climacteric; dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan; menopause; Body composition
• ISSN: 1369-7137; 1473-0804
• DOI: 10.1080/13697137.2021.1978970

The effect of menopause transition in body composition was evaluated in a cross-sectional study.
The study was carried out in an outpatient clinic of Brazil enrolling premenopausal (n = 64) and postmenopausal (n = 42) women aged between 44 and 52 years, with weight stability (±2 kg) for at least 6 months before evaluation. Participants answered a sociodemographic semi-structured questionnaire, the Menopause Rating Scale, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, 24-h dietary recall and a visual analogue scale of appetite. Blood biochemical, anthropometry and densitometry measurements were used for body composition estimation.
Most participants were overweight (31.4%) or obese (45.7%) and categorized as 'high active' in physical activity (65.7%). Lean mass and bone mass decreased in the first few years of menopause. A metabolic turn to an increase of lipids was observed, represented by greater total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Menopause transition did not alter body fat distribution. Total body fat, android fat and gynoid fat were positively related to smoking habit, and android fat was also positively related to waist circumference.
Taken together, early postmenopause can be considered a time window of opportunity for preventing ailments such as atherogenic profile, obesity, increased cardiovascular risk and osteoporosis.