Endocrinologist Anastasia Kvasova: during menopause, women's metabolism slows down, which helps them gain excess weight.
Doctor Kvasova reminded that during menopause, the female body stops reproducing sex hormones (estrogens) at the same level, which is closely associated with the growth of adipose tissue. Such growth is a compensatory mechanism: fat deposits serve as a furnace for “melting” androgens produced by the adrenal glands into estrogens. Moreover, fat is mainly deposited on the abdomen – so-called abdominal obesity develops.
“One of the key indicators of this process is an increase in waist circumference. A value of more than 88 centimeters indicates a central type of obesity, which is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders,” the doctor warned in a conversation with Vechernyaya Moskva.
Kvasova specified that accumulation of fat in the abdominal area increases the risk of developing insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, as well as hypertension. At the same time, the doctor emphasized that women are quite capable of protecting themselves from dangerous obesity.
Doctor Kvasova named three rules that help to avoid weight gain during menopause, emphasizing that the main condition for maintaining a healthy body weight is lifestyle.
Here are the rules that should be followed:
- It is necessary to eat a balanced diet, the diet should include enough protein, fats and complex carbohydrates;
- You should regularly practice physical activity;
- It is necessary to maintain psychological well-being.
“These measures can significantly mitigate metabolic changes during menopause. It is important for women to monitor not only their weight, but also other indicators, such as blood sugar levels, blood pressure and the condition of the endometrium,” the doctor added.
Earlier, the MedikForum.ru portal wrote about who should definitely eat red meat.
Important! The information is provided for reference purposes. Ask a specialist about contraindications and side effects and do not self-medicate under any circumstances. At the first signs of illness, consult a doctor.
Anastasia Kvasova Health therapist-endocrinologist