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Longitudinal changes in weight in perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women: effects of dietary energy intake, energy expenditure, dietary calcium intake and hormone replacement therapy

International Journal of Obesity volume 27, pages 669–676 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether energy intake or energy expenditure affects 5–7 y weight gain in perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women, and whether hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use or dietary calcium (Ca) intake are contributory factors.

DESIGN: Longitudinal, observational study of healthy women around the menopause.

SUBJECTS: A total of 1064 initially premenopausal women, selected from a random population of 5119 women aged 45–54 y at baseline. In all, 907 women (85.2%) returned 6.3±0.6 y later for repeat measurements. Of these, 36% were postmenopausal (no HRT) and 45% had taken HRT, and 898 women completed the questionnaires.

MEASUREMENTS: Weight, height, estimation of energy intake by food frequency questionnaire and physical activity level (PAL) by questionnaire.

RESULTS: Change in PAL influenced weight change explaining 4.4% (P=0.001) of the variation. Alterations in dietary energy intake also had a small but significant effect (0.6% P=0.013). Dietary Ca intake had no effect on weight or weight change.

CONCLUSION: Mean weight had increased and was influenced more by reduced energy expenditure rather than increased energy intake. HRT and dietary Ca intake did not influence weight gain.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to David Grubb of the Rowett Research Unit for running the ORACLE programme to analyse our food frequency and physical activity questionnaire. We are also very grateful for the hard work of the radiographers and research nurses at the Osteoporosis Research Unit, and to all the women who kindly participated in the study.

We gratefully acknowledge the UK Department of Health and the Medical Research Council for project grant support for HMM and to the Arthritis Research Campaign (ARC) for continuing infrastructure support for DMR. The Health Services Research Unit is funded by the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Executive Health Department. Any views expressed are ours.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Aberdeen, Medical School Buildings, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK

    H M Macdonald & D M Reid

  2. Centre for Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, UK

    S A New

  3. Health Services Research Unit, University of Aberdeen Medical School, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK

    M K Campbell

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  1. H M Macdonald
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  2. S A New
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  4. D M Reid
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Correspondence to H M Macdonald.

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Macdonald, H., New, S., Campbell, M. et al. Longitudinal changes in weight in perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women: effects of dietary energy intake, energy expenditure, dietary calcium intake and hormone replacement therapy. Int J Obes 27, 669–676 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802283

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