Menopause and diet
The permanent end of menstrual cycles, accompanied by a fall in oestrogen that changes fat distribution, speeds up bone loss and raises cardiovascular risk.
Menopause is the end of ovarian function, confirmed after twelve months without periods, at around 51 on average. The fall in oestrogen that comes with it has three well-documented nutritional consequences.
The first concerns bone: oestrogen slows bone resorption, and its decline speeds up the loss of mineral density, peaking in the years that follow. Needs for calcium and vitamin D therefore become critical, and weight-bearing activity (walking, climbing stairs, strength training) matters as much as the plate.
Weight gain is mostly about distribution, not just amount. This is the useful nuance: at a constant weight, fat moves from the hips to the abdomen, with an increase in visceral fat. Cardiovascular risk rises even though the scales may not have moved, hence the value of tracking waist circumference.
Muscle loss also speeds up, which argues for a higher protein intake spread across the day. As for soya phytoestrogens, often suggested for hot flushes, the data remain mixed: a modest effect in some women, none in others, with no identified risk at dietary doses.