Relationship of reproductive period and menopause age with body composition: A study in non-obese postmenopausal women

Introduction: Changes in body composition after menopause are including; decreased muscle mass, increased fat mass and central obesity with central fat accumulation ,which can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome. Body composition and its changes in postmenopausal women associate with osteoporosis and metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is the key factor for cardiovascular disease that is become a major health problem in many countries .We performed this study to recognize the relationship of reproductive period and menopause age with body composition among non-obese post menopausal women.

Materials & Methods: In this cross sectional research, we selected 140 healthy non-obese postmenopausal women who had a BMI less than30 Kg/m2, in 2010 in Iran. Data were obtained through interview that included demographic information (age, age at menarche, age at menopause, date of last menstrual period, parity), measured height and weight, skin folds (tricepse, superiliac, thigh), BMI and WHR. We used the Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis by SPSS 15 software for statistical purposes.

Results: In this study a significant correlation was found between reproductive period and fat mass ( r=0.22, p=0. 007) and weight (r=0.16, p=0. 04). A significant relationship was observed between menopausal age and fat mass (r=0.26, p=0. 002) weight (r=0.24, p=0. 004) and BMI(r=0.19, p=0.02), but menopausal age with WHR and fat-free mass was not significantly associated.

Conclusion: The increasing of reproductive period and menopausal age is associated with increased body weight and fat mass and increasing of menopausal age is associated with higher BMI.

Keywords: Reproductive period; Menopausal age; Body composition