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Aging and changes in adiposity indices: the impact of menopause

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Abstract

Purpose

Aging is associated with significant changes in fat distribution and menopause may alter this process. This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal effect of menopause on changes in adiposity indices (AI).

Methods

A total number of 3876 non-menopausal women, aged > 20 years, who participated in the Tehran Lipid and Glucose study, were selected for the present study. They were followed from 1998 to 2018 at a 3-year interval and their adiposity indices were measured. Throughout the study, participants were categorized into two groups according to their menopausal status as group 1): women who reached menopause and group 2): women who did not reach menopause. The generalized estimation equation (GEE) models were used to compare the trend of changes in AIs between these two groups.

Results

At the end of the study, a total number of 1479 (38.2%) participants reached menopause. The odds of general obesity decreased by 5% (OR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.90–0.99), and the odds of central obesity increased by 6% in group1 compared to group2 (OR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01–1.12).

Conclusions

Menopause alters the impact of aging on central fat distribution. Increasing awareness of the related risk in menopausal women and their healthcare professional may prevent adverse related outcomes.

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Acknowledgements

We are appreciative to all the study participants for the substantial time and effort given to the present research. Thanks are also due to the research staff at the TLGS Unit and personnel of the Research Endocrine Laboratory.

Funding

This work was supported by a project of the Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. (No. 98050).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Reproductive Endocrinology Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, 24 Parvaneh St., Yaman St., Velenjak, PO Box 19395-4763, Tehran, Iran

    M. Farahmand, M. Rahmati & F. Ramezani Tehrani

  2. Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic, Australia

    M. Bahri Khomamid

  3. Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    F. Azizi

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  1. M. Farahmand
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  2. M. Bahri Khomamid
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  4. F. Azizi
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  5. F. Ramezani Tehrani
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Contributions

MF contributed to the study design, data analysis, manuscript drafting, and critical discussion. MBK manuscript drafting, and critical discussion. MR contributed to the study design and execution, and data analysis. FA contributed to the study design and execution and manuscript drafting. FRT contributed to the study design and execution, data analysis, manuscript drafting, and critical discussion.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to F. Ramezani Tehrani.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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The ethics committee of the Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences approved the study proposal.

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Informed consent written informed consent was obtained from all participants.

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Farahmand, M., Bahri Khomamid, M., Rahmati, M. et al. Aging and changes in adiposity indices: the impact of menopause. J Endocrinol Invest 45, 69–77 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-021-01616-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-021-01616-2

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