The contribution of menopause to changes in body-fat distribution.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether menopause contributes to changes in body-fat distribution, irrespective of aging or obesity.


METHODS
The subjects were 545 premenopausal (aged 16-55 years; mean +/- standard deviation, 37.7 +/- 9.1 years) and 219 postmenopausal (aged 45-65 years, 58.0 +/- 5.0 years) women. Baseline characteristics included age, body mass index (BMI), and menopausal status (premenopause or postmenopause). The ratio of trunk fat to leg fat (trunk-leg ratio) was estimated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The trunk-leg ratio and baseline characteristics were compared between the 2 groups. In all subjects (n = 764), possible correlations between the trunk-leg ratio and the baseline characteristics were determined using univariate and multivariate analysis. In postmenopausal women, the relationship of the trunk-leg ratio to YSM or age after adjusting for BMI was investigated.


RESULTS
The trunk-leg ratio and BMI were significantly higher in postmenopausal women than in premenopausal women. In all subjects, age and BMI were positively correlated with the trunk-leg ratio (r = 0.445 and 0.587, respectively, p < 0.0001). Menopause was also positively correlated with the trunk-leg ratio on univariate regression analysis (standardized regression coefficient = 0.369, p < 0.0001). On multiple regression analysis, age, BMI, and menopause were independently correlated with the trunk-leg ratio (p < 0.05). In postmenopausal women, age and YSM were positively correlated with the trunk-leg ratio, independent of the BMI (p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Menopause contributes to a change in body-fat distribution, irrespective of aging or obesity.
Ijuin
H
H
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima University, Japan.
Douchi
T
T
Oki
T
T
Maruta
K
K
Nagata
Y
Y
D000005:Abdomen; D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D001823:Body Composition; D001824:Body Constitution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity; D017698:Postmenopause; D017697:Premenopause; D013909:Thorax