Fat Mass In Postmenopausal Women Research Articles

Exercise Training with Hormone Replacement Therapy Has No Synergistic Effect on the Improvement of Lean and Fat Mass in Postmenopausal Women: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Objectives: Postmenopausal women possess lower skeletal muscle mass, associated with a higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome, compared to premenopausal women. Maintaining skeletal muscle mass appears to be imperative to protect against the menopause-associated metabolic syndrome in women. The present study conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to investigate the effectiveness of exercise training with or without hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on lean and fat mass in postmenopausal women. Study design: Four studies qualified for the meta-analysis, and the effect sizes were calculated by comparing changes in lean and fat mass between pre- and post-treatment. Moderator variable analysis examined potential different effects among four sub-groups based on specific interventions: (a) HRT+NEX (no-exercise), (b) HRT+EX (exercise), (c) NHRT (non-HRT)+NEX, and (d) NHRT+EX. Results: Random effects model meta-analysis revealed no significant overall effects of exercise training with or without HRT on fat mass, whereas the analysis found a significant positive overall effects on lean mass (Hedges’g = 0.22, P = 0.039). Although our moderator variable analyses failed to show significant effect sizes for all the sub-groups, the two sub-groups with exercise training showed a trend of positive effects on lean mass (i.e., HRT+EX: P = 0.08 and NHRT+EX: P = 0.12). Conclusion: Our meta-analytic findings suggested that exercise training, but not HRT, may be effective for increasing lean mass in postmenopausal women. Future studies should include more evidence to validate the potential combining effect of exercise training and HRT.

Calcium intake is inversely associated with body fat in postmenopausal women

Calcium intake seems to be inversely associated with body fat in several populations; however, little is known about this relationship in postmenopausal women. This study aimed to associate calcium intake with body fat mass in postmenopausal women. A cross-sectional study was performed with 107 postmenopausal women who entered in a lifestyle change program. The dietary intake was estimated through three 24-h food recalls. Body fat mass was evaluated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Linear regression analyzes were performed associating body fat variables (total fat mass, body fat percentage, trunk fat, gynoid and android fat mass; and body mass index) with calcium intake. After adjustments for age; carbohydrate, protein, lipids and fiber intakes; and physical activity, it was observed that calcium intake (mg/day) was inversely associated with total fat mass (kg and percentage), trunk fat mass (kg), gynoid and android fat mass (kg). Calcium intake was not associated with body mass index, although a tendency was observed (p=0.062). Calcium intake was inversely associated with body fat mass in postmenopausal women.

Calf circumference is similarly associated with fat mass and lean mass in postmenopausal women with high body fat percentage

To evaluate the association of calf circumference (CC) with lean and fat mass in postmenopausal women with high body fat percentage. A cross-sectional study with 50 postmenopausal women who had high body fat percentage was performed. CC was measured at the maximal circumference using a nonelastic tape, and values lower than 33 cm were considered as inadequate. Total lean mass (TLM), total fat mass (TFM), leg lean mass (LLM), and leg fat mass (LFM) were obtained by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Women with adequate CC presented higher body mass index (30.7 ± 5.1 vs. 25.0 ± 2.8 kg/m2; p = 0.003), body fat percentage (43.8 ± 5.6 vs. 39.1 ± 4.1; p = 0.029), and TLM (38.0 ± 4.6 vs. 31.5 ± 2.5 kg; p < 0.001) than those individuals classified with inadequate CC, respectively. Multivariate generalized linear model analysis showed that CC predicted TLM and TFM as well as LLM and LFM in a similar way. CC was similarly associated with fat mass and lean mass in postmenopausal women with high body fat percentage.

High-intensity interval training reduces abdominal fat mass in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes

AimThis study compared the effect of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) for 16 weeks on whole-body and abdominal fat mass (FM) in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes (T2D). MethodsSeventeen women (69±1 years; BMI: 31±1kg.m−2) were randomly assigned to either a HIIT [60×(8s at 77–85% HRmax, 12s of active recovery)] or MICT (40min at 55–60% of their individual HRR) cycling program for 16 weeks, 2 days/week. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to measure whole-body and regional FM content, including abdominal adiposity and visceral adipose tissue. Plasma cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, glucose and HbA1c levels were measured. Levels of nutritional intake and physical activity were evaluated by 7-day self-reports. ResultsDietary energy (caloric) intake, physical activity level and total body mass did not vary in either group from the beginning to the end of the training intervention. Overall, total FM decreased and total fat-free mass significantly increased over time (by around 2–3%). Total FM reduction at the end of the intervention was not significantly different between groups. However, significant loss of total abdominal (−8.3±2.2%) and visceral (−24.2±7.7%) FM was observed only with HIIT. Time effects were noted for HbA1c and total cholesterol/HDL ratio. ConclusionWith no concomitant caloric restriction, an HIIT program in postmenopausal women with T2D (twice a week for 16 weeks) appeared to be more effective for reducing central obesity than MICT, and could be proposed as an alternative exercise training program for this population.

Negative association between habitual dietary calcium intake, BMI, and body fat mass in postmenopausal women

Obesity has become a national public health epidemic in the past several decades. The high prevalence of obesity in the world has provoked great interest in identifying strategies that can help prevent weight gain. Increasing calcium intake is one potential approach to weight management that has received much attention. To investigate the relationship between BMI, body fat, and habitual calcium intake, a diet history questionnaire designed to measure dietary calcium intake was administered to 120 postmenopausal women. Participants were divided into three groups based on their BMI values: 1) normal (18.5–24.9); 2) overweight (25–29.9); and 3) obese (≥30). Body fat and BMD were measured using DXA. Calcium intake was negatively correlated with BMI and body fat in this population. Overweight and obese individuals had lower calcium intake compared to individuals with normal BMI. Interestingly, BMD was not correlated with habitual calcium intake in this population except for the ulna BMD. However, when the ulna BMD was compared between individuals with lower (&lt;1200 mg) and higher (&gt;1200 mg) calcium intake, the differences were not statistically significant. These results are in agreement with previous hypotheses regarding calcium intake and improved weight management. Further investigation is necessary to better define the relationship between BMD and habitual dietary calcium intake.

Androidal Fat Dominates in Predicting Cardiometabolic Risk in Postmenopausal Women

We hypothesized that soy isoflavones would attenuate the anticipated increase in androidal fat mass in postmenopausal women during the 36-month treatment, and thereby favorably modify the circulating cardiometabolic risk factors: triacylglycerol, LDL-C, HDL-C, glucose, insulin, uric acid, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, and homocysteine. We collected data on 224 healthy postmenopausal women at risk for osteoporosis (45.8–65 y, median BMI 24.5) who consumed placebo or soy isoflavones (80 or 120 mg/d) for 36 months and used longitudinal analysis to examine the contribution of isoflavone treatment, androidal fat mass, other biologic factors, and dietary quality to cardiometabolic outcomes. Except for homocysteine, each cardiometabolic outcome model was significant (overall P-values from ≤.0001 to .0028). Androidal fat mass was typically the strongest covariate in each model. Isoflavone treatment did not influence any of the outcomes. Thus, androidal fat mass, but not isoflavonetreatment, is likely to alter the cardiometabolic profile in healthy postmenopausal women.

Conjugated Linoleic Acids Reduce Body Fat in Healthy Postmenopausal Women1–3

Isomers of conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) reduce fat mass (FM) and increase insulin sensitivity in some, but not all, murine studies. In humans, this effect is still debatable. In this study, we compared the effect of 2 CLA supplements on total and regional FM assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, changes in serum insulin and glucose concentrations, and adipose tissue (AT) gene expression in humans. In a double-blind, parallel, 16-wk intervention, we randomized 81 healthy postmenopausal women to 1) 5.5 g/d of 40/40% of cis9,trans11-CLA (c9,t11-CLA) and trans10,cis12-CLA (t10,c12-CLA) (CLA-mix); 2) cis9, trans11-CLA (c9,t11-CLA); or 3) control (olive oil). We assessed all variables before and after the intervention. The CLA-mix group had less total FM (4%) and lower-body FM (7%) than the control (P = 0.02 and < 0.001, respectively). Post hoc analyses showed that serum insulin concentrations were greater in the CLA-mix group (34%) than the control group (P = 0.02) in the highest waist circumference tertile only. AT mRNA expression of glucose transporter 4, leptin, and lipoprotein lipase was lower, whereas expression of tumor necrosis factor-α was higher in the CLA-mix group than in the control group (P < 0.04). In conclusion, a 50:50 mixture of c9,t11- and t10,c12-CLA isomers resulted in less total and lower-body FM in postmenopausal women and greater serum insulin concentrations in the highest waist circumference tertile. Future research is needed to confirm the insulin desensitizing effect of the CLA mixture and the effect on the mRNA expression of adipocyte-specific genes in humans.

Association of Calcium Intake and Adiposity in Postmenopausal Women

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between calcium intake and 1) body composition and 2) body fat distribution in postmenopausal women.Methods: Archived data from a previous study including forty-nine Caucasian women, aged 51–73 and at least three years postmenopausal, were used for analysis. Data included medical and diet history from a questionnaire, average nutrient intake from computerized analysis of a 3-day diet record, anthropometric measures including height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). Calcium intake represented both food and supplement sources of calcium. Lean and fat mass were determined from dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) total body scans, and abdominal fat mass was defined as fat mass between the top of the iliac crest and L1 on the DXA scan.Results: Subjects were 60.5 ± 0.9 y/o with an average BMI of 26.9 ± 0.7 and percent body fat of 42.8 ± 1.2. Average calcium intake was 1151 ± 83 g/d. There was a significant inverse relationship between calcium intake and percent body fat (r = −0.36, p < 0.01) and abdominal fat mass (r = −0.25, p < 0.05), but there was no significant correlation between calcium intake and body mass index, fat mass, lean mass, waist circumference, or WHR. When kcalories were controlled, the inverse correlation between dietary calcium intake and percent body fat remained (r = −0.24, p < 0.05). Total fat was significantly greater (p < 0.05) in the low dairy intake (1–2 servings/d) vs. high dairy intake group (3–4 servings/d), but there were no significant differences between the groups in other body composition variables.Conclusions: Increased calcium intake was associated with lower percent body fat and higher dairy intake was associated with lower fat mass in postmenopausal women, but there was no association between calcium intake and body fat distribution measures in this population.

Postmenopausal hormone therapy and body composition—a substudy of the estrogen plus progestin trial of the Women’s Health Initiative

It has been suggested that hormone therapy may help counter undesirable changes in body composition in older women. This study was designed to test whether estrogen plus progestin (E+P) therapy favorably affects age-related changes in body composition in postmenopausal women. The substudy was composed of 835 women from the estrogen plus progestin trial of the Women's Health Initiative who were randomly assigned to receive either E+P therapy (n = 437) or placebo (n = 398). The women had a mean age of 63.1 y and, on average, were 13.8 y past menopause. More than 17% of the participants were from an ethnic minority. No significant differences in baseline body composition (measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) by intervention assignment were observed. After 3 y of intervention, the women who received active E+P therapy lost less lean soft tissue mass (-0.04 kg) than did the women who received placebo (-0.44 kg; P = 0.001). Additionally, the women in the E+P group had less upper-body fat distribution than did the women in the placebo group (change in ratio of trunk to leg fat mass: -0.025 for the E+P group and 0.004 for the placebo group; P = 0.003). A sensitivity analysis, which was conducted on the women who took > or = 80% of the study medication during the intervention period, corroborated the findings from the intent-to-treat analysis. A 3-y E+P intervention significantly reduced both the loss of lean soft tissue mass and the ratio of trunk to leg fat mass in postmenopausal women. However, the effect sizes were small, and whether these changes in body composition lead to significant health benefits remains to be confirmed.

Predictors of Postmenopausal Body Mass Index and Waist Hip Ratio in the Oklahoma Postmenopausal Health Disparities Study

Objective: The goal of the current study has been to examine systematically the respective roles of nutrition, exercise, menopausal weight gain, moderate drinking and smoking as determinants of body mass index (BMI) and waist hip ratio (WHR) in a setting in which the role of race or ethnic group could be simultaneously or individually evaluated as predictors of BMI and WHR. Because the use of estrogen replacement has been reported to affect estimates of body fat mass in postmenopausal women, endocrine factors have also been evaluated.Methods: The design is cross-sectional with historical prospective elements. The study has a biomedical focus and is not an epidemiologic study. Data are from 649 women recruited into The Postmenopausal Health Disparities Study in Oklahoma. The study population was composed of 649 postmenopausal women: American Indian: 226 (34.9%), Asian: 21 (3.2%), Black: 78 (12.0%), Hispanics: 54 (8.3%) and Whites: 270 (41.6%). Recruitment occurred between 1994 and late 1999 in Oklahoma.Results: In this multi-racial, multi-ethnic study population, there was statistical heterogeneity in all nutrition/dietary and exercise variables as well as in other potential determinants of BMI and WHR. In contrast to the literature available for postmenopausal women in which postmenopausal status, estrogen replacement and race have rarely been taken into account, the results of multi-linear regression revealed the following: Significant predictors for BMI, with or without WHR specified, included the neuroendocrine factors, menopausal weight gain, smoking, mean fitness (i.e., difficulty performing physical activities), fat as percent of total calories, moderate drinking and being Asian or Black. When WHR was not included, total calories and socioeconomic status also entered the model. The statistical predictors of WHR in the total study population with BMI in the equation included BMI and the neuroendocrine variables of FSH, E2, but not ERT, as well as the interaction of higher intensity exercise fitness with frequency, socioeconomic status and being American Indian or Asian. When BMI was not included in the model, in addition to the neuroendocrine factors, the interaction of lower intensity exercise fitness with frequency, fat as percent of total calories, age living alone and being American Indian or and Black were significant predictors of WHR. The predictors of both BMI and WHR were found to differ among individual racial and ethnic groups.Conclusions: Given the role of increased body fat and obesity in disease risk and the substantial differences in life expectancy among the racial and ethnic groups, the findings of this study, particularly in contrast to literature reports, strongly suggest that a whole variety of factors including hormonal status and race need to be considered when examining the role of dietary factors and physical activity in relation to estimates of body fat mass and disease risk.

Differences in leptin production by regional fat mass in postmenopausal women.

To investigate the differences in leptin production by regional fat mass, 76 postmenopausal Japanese women were enrolled in this study. Age, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI, wt/ht2) were recorded. Serum leptin levels were measured by RIA. Trunk fat mass, total body fat mass, and percentage of body fat were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). The ratio of trunk to leg fat mass (trunk-leg fat ratio), an index of body fat distribution, was also assessed by DEXA. Relationship of leptin levels with baseline characteristics and anthropometric variables were investigated by Pearson correlation test. Serum leptin levels were positively correlated with BMI (r = 0.683, p < 0.0001), total body fat mass (r = 0.680, p < 0.0001), trunk fat mass (r = 0.632, p < 0.0001), and percentage of body fat (r = 0.624, p < 0.0001). However, no significant correlation was observed between trunk-leg fat ratio and leptin levels (r = 0.181). Age and height were not correlated with leptin levels. Based on these results, we concluded that body fat distribution does not serve as a predictor of leptin levels in postmenopausal women.