Summary
Read the full fact sheet- Menopause is when your periods stop.
- Many women gain weight around their belly (abdomen) at this stage of life.
- The weight gain is more likely due to ageing and lifestyle changes than menopause itself.
- There are many things you can do to avoid weight gain at menopause.
On this page
What is menopause?
Menopause is your final period. As you approach menopause, your reproductive hormones (e.g. oestrogen) drop. Most women reach menopause between the ages of 45 and 55. In Australia, the average age to reach menopause is 51 to 52.
What causes weight gain in midlife?
Ageing
On average, women aged between 45 and 55 gain around half a kilo per year. As you get older, you lose muscle mass, which slows your metabolism and causes weight gain. So if your diet doesn’t change, you are likely to gain weight.
Oestrogen and fat distribution
At this time, reduced oestrogen hormone levels can cause fat to be stored around your waist rather than on your hips and thighs. In postmenopausal women, belly fat accounts for 15% to 20% of their total body weight, compared with 5% to 8% in premenopausal women.
Menopausal symptoms
Menopausal symptoms (e.g. hot flushes, poor sleep or low mood) can make it harder to exercise and eat healthy food, which may contribute to weight gain.
Life pressures
Around the time of menopause, different life pressures can make it hard to put your health first. For example, work pressures or caring for elderly parents.
Risks associated with belly fat
Fat stored around your belly is known as 'visceral fat'. This type of fat is unhealthy as it is linked to:
- an increased risk of heart disease
- type 2 diabetes
- breast cancer
- dementia
- increased menopausal symptoms, such as hot flushes.
What you can do
It’s important to achieve and maintain a healthy weight during this time. There are many things you can do to reduce weight gain and the risk of chronic disease.
Eat a healthy diet
Eating a healthy diet can prevent weight gain and improve energy levels.
A low-calorie or low-carb diet can help you lose weight. It can also help with other health issues (e.g. if you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or type 2 diabetes).
Crash diets are not recommended for weight loss. Talk to your doctor or see a dietitian for advice.
Do regular physical activity
Physical activity has many benefits. It can reduce the risk of chronic disease and help you manage your weight and menopause symptoms.
It’s recommended you’re active on most (preferably all) days of the week. To lose weight, you will need to combine regular physical activity with reduced calorie intake.
Weekly exercise recommendations include:
- 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate intensity physical activity (e.g. brisk walking, golf, mowing, swimming)
or
- 1.25 to 2.5 hours of vigorous intensity physical activity (e.g. jogging, aerobics, fast cycling, playing team sports).
Or you can do a combination of the above.
Muscle-strengthening activities are also recommended 2 days a week.
Other lifestyle changes
Getting good sleep and limiting alcohol are also important. Poor sleep is associated with eating more food and making poor food choices. Drinking too much alcohol can cause weight gain, interfere with your sleep and make menopausal symptoms worse.
Menopausal hormone therapy
If menopausal symptoms are affecting your daily life and making it hard to exercise and eat well, ask your doctor about menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). MHT can also reduce the risk of some chronic diseases including heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It may also help to reduce belly fat after menopause.
When to see your doctor
Talk to your doctor if your menopause symptoms make it hard to do everyday activities. For example, if you:
- are overweight and find it hard to lose weight
- have problems sleeping
- have strong emotions, anxiety or depression
- need help to limit or stop drinking alcohol.
You should also talk to your doctor before you start a new fitness program. This is especially important if you have a pre-existing medical condition or haven’t been physically active for some time.
More information
For more detailed information, related resources, articles and podcasts, visit Jean Hailes for Women’s Health.
Where to get help
- The NAMS 2017 Hormone Therapy Position Statement Advisory Panel 2017, ‘The 2017 hormone therapy position statement of The North American Menopause Society’, Menopause, vol. 24, no. 7, pp. 728–53.
- Stuenkel CA, Davis SR, Gompel A et al. 2015, ‘Treatment of symptoms of the menopause: An Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline’, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, vol. 100, no. 11, pp. 3975–4011.
- Baber RJ, Panay N, Fenton A et al. 2016, ‘2016 IMS Recommendations on women's midlife health and menopause hormone therapy’, Climacteric, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 109–50.
- Shifren JL, Gass ML 2014 ‘The North American Menopause Society recommendations for clinical care of midlife women’, Menopause, vol. 21, no. 10, pp. 1038–62.
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