Abstract

POSTMENOPAUSAL OBESITY AND HORMONAL IMBALANCE IN MIDDLE AGED WOMEN: STRATEGIES FOR MANAGEMENT

*Dr. S. Ooha, V. Prathima, S. Sohi Kowsar, S. D. Divya Prakash, Z. Basel CA

Abstract

The post-menopausal period causes a substantial change in middleaged women's hormonal and metabolic profile, increasing the risk of obesity and related health concerns. Hormonal shifts during menopause include a drop in estrogen, which triggers various physiological changes, including gynoid fat distribution and metabolic modifications, such as insulin sensitivity, hunger changes, and inflammation. An age-related decrease in basal metabolic rate (BMR) leads to loss of muscle mass and a drop in total energy expenditure (TEE), which results in middle-aged women's weight gain. This obesity and estrogen loss causes many clinical implications like hypertension and cancer and increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases as it is associated with variations in the human ER𝛼 gene. Apart from physical health, it also affects mental health and selfesteem, which has to be taken care of. This review explains the relationship between obesity and hormonal imbalance in menopausal women and its effect on body composition, changes in energy expenditure, strategies to manage obesity, and hormonal imbalance to develop targeted interventions such as hormonal replacement therapy and lifestyle factors like behavioral, and dietary modifications, especially MED Diet and physical activity.

Keywords: Menopause, Estrogen, Obesity, Postmenopausal obesity.