title: Adherence to Mediterranean dietary pattern and menopausal symptoms in relation to overweight/obesity in Spanish perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to assess the relationship of adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern, as well as the presence of menopausal symptoms, with overweight/obesity in Spanish perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants in this cross-sectional study were 8,954 Spanish perimenopausal or postmenopausal women. Anthropometric measurements were recorded, and all women were interviewed to assess their adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern, using a validated questionnaire and the Menopause and Health subscale of the validated Cervantes Scale. A logistic regression model was used to investigate the association between categories of adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the odds of being overweight/obese. Multinomial logistic regression was used to study the association between menopausal symptoms and the odds of being overweight/obese (reference categories: participants in the low-adherence category and participants with no menopausal problems).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjustment for relevant confounders, the odds ratio (95% CI) for being overweight/obese among women in the highest category of adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern was 0.68 (0.60-0.78; P for trend <0.001). The odds ratio (95% CI) for being overweight/obese was 3.05 (1.98-4.71) for the category "severe problems" in comparison with the category "no problems."
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher adherence to a healthy dietary pattern (Mediterranean diet) is inversely associated with overweight/obesity in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. The occurrence of low to severe problems during perimenopause or postmenopause is positively associated with overweight/obesity. Therefore, high adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern and a body mass index of 25kg/m(2) or lower might improve quality of life in women at these stages.
authors.affiliation: From the 1Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain; 2Center for Nutritional Research, Department of Food Sciences and Physiology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain; 3CIBERobn Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition, Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; and 4Spanish Pharmacists Council, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sayón-Orea
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Santiago
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cuervo
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Martínez-González
authors.forename: Aquilino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Jose Alfredo
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Martínez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D047648:Perimenopause / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires