title: Prospective evaluation of body weight and body fat distribution in early postmenopausal women with and without hormonal replacement therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In order to assess the effects of menopause and hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) on body weight and body fat distribution (determined by dual energy X-ray), early postmenopausal women were given either oral calcium (500 mg/day, control group, n=13) or HRT, a combination of estradiol valerate (EV, 2 mg/day for 21 days) with cyproterone acetate (CPA, 1 mg/day in the last 10 days of the treatment cycle, n=18; Climen, Schering).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no differences in basal body weight and body fat distribution in the two groups before the study. In control group, a significant (P<0.05) increase in body weight (from 63.5+/-2.0 to 68.7+/-2.0 kg after 36 months) paralleled a shift to a prevalent central, android fat distribution with a slight but significant (P<0.05) increase in total body fat mass (from 23.4+/-2.1 to 29.1+/-2.1 kg), an increase in trunk (from 10.1+/-0.4 to 12.7+/-0.4 kg, P<0.05), arms (from 2.4+/-0.2 to 2.9+/-0.2 kg, P<0.05) and legs (from 6.5+/-0.4 to 7.8+/-0.4 kg, P<0.05) fat. In the HRT group total body bone mineral showed a significant increase (from 1086+/-21 to 1128+/-19 mg/cm(2), P<0.05) increase after 36 months, with no significant increase in body weight (from 62.6+/-1.8 to 65.0+/-1.9 kg), and no modifications in trunk (from 10.0+/-0.2 to 10.1+/-0.2 kg) and arms (from 2.4+/-0.1 to 2.6+/-0.1 kg) fat, but a significant increase in legs fat (from 6.9+/-0.3 to 9.9+/-0.4 kg, P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Present results demonstrate that menopause is associated with an accelerated increase in body weight and body fat, with a prevalent central, android fat distribution, that can be counteracted at least in part by oral HRT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Piero Fioretti, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56100 Pisa, Italy. margamba@tin.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gambacciani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciaponi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cappagli
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Simone
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Orlandi
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Genazzani
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000273:Adipose Tissue; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017373:Cyproterone Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D017373:Cyproterone Acetate; D004958:Estradiol