Obesity associates with vasomotor symptoms in postmenopause but with physical symptoms in perimenopause: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundMiddle-aged women experience various menopausal symptoms during the menopause. These symptoms can affect their quality of life and health. Several epidemiological studies reported that obesity associates with menopausal symptoms. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the associations between obesity and multiple menopausal symptoms at different stages of menopause in middle-aged Korean women.MethodsThe study population included women aged 44–56 years who visited a tertiary referral hospital for medical check-ups between November 2012 and March 2013 and were free from serious illness, could comprehend a questionnaire. The Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) questionnaire was used to assess the prevalence of menopausal symptoms. Overweight and obesity were defined as body mass index (BMI) of 23–24.9 and ≥25 kg/m2, respectively.ResultsOf the 2204 middle-aged women, 929 met the eligibility criteria. Of these, 533 (57.4%) and 396 (42.6%) were in perimenopause and postmenopause, respectively. In perimenopause, obese women were significantly more likely to have moderate/severe physical symptoms (MENQOL domain score ≥ 5) than normal or overweight women. In postmenopause, obese women were significantly more likely to have moderate/severe vasomotor symptoms. Multiple linear regression with adjustment for confounders showed that relative to normal weight, obesity in perimenopause and postmenopause associated independently with physical symptoms (beta coefficient = 0.35; P = 0.023) and vasomotor symptoms (beta coefficient = 0.68; P = 0.003), respectively. Overweight did not associate with menopausal symptoms. BMI did not associate significantly with psychosocial or sexual symptoms at either stage of menopause.ConclusionsObese women had more frequent menopausal symptoms than normal or overweight women but the associated menopausal symptom differed depending on the menopausal stage. Further studies are required to confirm this result and identify the underlying mechanisms.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12905-017-0487-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Associations Among BMI, Dietary Macronutrient Consumption, and Climacteric Symptoms in Korean Menopausal Women

“…Our study was consistent with previous studies [5][6][7]. Overweight and obesity factors are associated with the occurrence of climacteric symptoms.…”

“…Previous studies have identified that the incidence and severity of climacteric symptoms are associated with various factors, including physiological factors (i.e., reproductive hormones and genetics), sociocultural characteristics (i.e., country, race, and age), health conditions (i.e., chronic disease, overweight, or obesity), and lifestyle (i.e., diet, physical activity, smoking, and alcohol drinking) [3][4][5]. Among the various factors, being overweight or obese is a critical influential factor in distressful climacteric symptoms [5][6][7]. When finding data from SWAN (Study of Women's Health across the Nation), women with a higher BMI (body mass index) showed an increasing incidence or severity of climacteric symptoms when compared with those with a lower BMI.…”

“…Although the relationship between climacteric symptoms and obesity [5][6][7] or climacteric symptoms and dietary factors [4,8] is well established, some studies have reported inconsistent results [10][11][12][13]. The modification of these associations by dietary consumption has not been clearly elucidated.…”

Dietary supplement for relieving menopausal symptoms in Egyptian perimenopausal women

“…Many epidemiological studies revealed the association between the menopausal symptoms and obesity (Koo et al 2017). During perimenopause or postmenopause, the occurrence of low to severe symptoms is positively connected with overweight/weight (Sayón-Orea et al 2015).…”

“…Women experience different menopausal symptoms during the menopausal period. These symptoms can influence their personal satisfaction and well-being (Koo et al 2017). Women's physical and mental ill-health, for example, anxiety and depression symptoms, hypertension, palpitations, osteoarthritis, hot flushes, and urogenital health shows an increment around the ages 45-65 years (Rindner et al 2017).…”