For a hormonal change that approximately 50% of the world’s population is likely to undergo, we’re still continuing to build viable and clarified bodies of research when it comes to menopause. Despite menopause’s ubiquity and commonality, no two of those experiences are the same. The way each individual experiences menopause is defined by many unique and personal factors, including existing health conditions, hormone levels, lifestyle factors, and more.
One of these significant factors includes our weight, with clear correlations between weight levels and hormonal fluctuations. Research has identified that obese women may be more likely to suffer severe menopause symptoms, with symptoms getting progressively worse as body mass index (BMI) increases.
But why is this the case, and what can we do about it to prepare for—or improve—our menopause experience?
You’re likely familiar with the headlines around obesity: associated with a wide range of health complications, obesity can pose significant challenges to maintaining our health and wellbeing. Often resulting from a combination of genetic, environmental, or behavioural factors, there’s no one set pathway into obesity – nor one set pathway into a healthier weight range. That’s why it’s important that in any conversation regarding weight management, it’s particularly crucial for women to work with their healthcare providers to find advice and support that’s suitable for their needs. Less Dr. Google and more real-world medical practitioners!
Obesity’s impact also extends to hormonal fluctuations. Our hormones are crucial in regulating a wide range of bodily functions, including our metabolism, our appetite, balancing our energy, and our reproductive health and functions. Obesity can bring disruption into these hormonal balances, creating a chicken-and-egg effect on our health that may be increasingly difficult to manage.
Our sex hormones – oestrogen and testosterone – are two hormones that obesity can impact, with excess body fat leading to an increased production of oestrogen. These elevated levels can lead to fluctuating disruptions within the menstrual cycle, such as irregular periods, or even the absence of periods altogether.
[Mid-blog CTA: Menopause can bring a complex set of fluctuating changes to the surface. Looking for the highest quality of physical, mental, and emotional support throughout these moments of transition? Contact the Australian Menopause Centre today.]
Menopause brings with it a complex range of hormonal changes. For obese women, these can become even more intensified, with ongoing consequences for individual menopause symptoms.
As excess body fat can lead to higher oestrogen levels, the hormonal fluctuations that are part and parcel of menopause can become even more varied. Hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings, and more may all be intensified, creating more complications throughout the menopause experience.
The impact of obesity on insulin resistance, too, can also pose a challenge for menopausal women. With high insulin levels leading to dysregulated appetites and fluctuating energy levels, entering into menopause with excess weight can continue to accelerate ongoing weight gain and metabolic dysfunction.
If you’re carrying excess weight and are entering into your menopausal years, now’s the perfect time to build tools and strategies that can help you to navigate through the unknown with clarity and calm. Menopause is a time of significant change for all women – you’re not alone in these changes, or in the challenges it brings.
Coping strategies that can play a supporting role throughout menopause for all women, including obese women, include:
The first step in any menopausal journey, no matter your weight, is to recognise that support for your wellbeing can come from a wide range of sources. By equipping yourself with knowledge, resources, and a holistic healthcare team who are dedicated to your wellbeing, the impact of obesity on menopausal experiences can be strategically managed in both the short-term and the long-term.
While menopause can present many challenges, it’s also a powerful moment in time to pause and evaluate our health, wellbeing, and long-term health goals. For women who may struggle with the impact of obesity, each menopausal transition represents another key milestone where their health can be prioritised. If you’re looking for targeted, welcoming, kind and considered care throughout your menopause journey, reach out to the team at the Australian Menopause Centre. We’re here to support you through every change that’s on its way!