title: OVERWEIGHT OBESITY AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK IN MENOPAUSAL TRANSITION.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  the hormonal decline that is characteristic of the menopause, in conjunction with the associated weight gain, is considered a determinant factor of cardiovascular risk.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to examine weight status in relation to clinical symptoms during the menopausal transition, in women referred from primary care to an endocrinology specialist, to determine potential cardiovascular risk profiles.
  
  
  METHODS
  observational analytic cross-sectional study, conducted with data from medical records created at time of referral.
  
  
  METHODS
  805 women aged 40 years or older, a sufficient number of subjects and medical records for cardiovascular risk to be estimated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  hierarchic cluster analysis distinguished four clusters. The prevalence of obesity in each one exceeded 60%. The highest mean cardiovascular risk was observed in women who were older and presented obesity and hypertension. In younger age groups, the risk was low, rising to levels similar to those of the older women by the age of 65 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  these results suggest that preventive and therapeutic monitoring of obesity and modifiable risk factors should be conducted during the menopausal transition, to reduce the risk attributable to these factors, a risk that increases with time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences. University of Granada.. carmenvg@ugr.es.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Villaverde Gutiérrez
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences. University of Granada (Ceuta Campus).. carmenvg@ugr.es.
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramírez Rodrigo
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences. University of Granada (Ceuta Campus).. carmenvg@ugr.es.
authors.forename: Maria Milagrosa
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Olmedo Alguacil
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences. University of Granada (Ceuta Campus).. carmenvg@ugr.es.
authors.forename: Maria Angeles
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sánchez Caravaca
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences. University of Granada.. carmenvg@ugr.es.
authors.forename: Maria Josefa
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Argente del Castillo Lechuga
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Economics, Faculty of Economics Sciences. University of Granada. Spain.. carmenvg@ugr.es.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruiz Villaverde
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors