Factors Associated with Adiposity, Lipid Profile Disorders and the Metabolic Syndrome Occurrence in Premenopausal and Postmenopausal Women

PLoS One. 2016 Apr 29;11(4):e0154511. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154511. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

The aim of the study was the assessment of the dependencies between a woman's menopausal status and adiposity, lipid profile and metabolic syndrome occurrence, as well as finding out whether the correlations between the socio-demographic profile and lifestyle elements and adiposity, lipid profile and the risk of MetS are the same before and after menopause. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 3636 women, aged between 40-59, which involved a questionnaire interview, anthropometric measurements and fasting blood samples, on the basis of which the concentration of triglycerides, cholesterol and glucose was estimated. Before menopause, a greater adiposity (BMIβ = 0.08; %BFβ = 0.07; WCβ = 0.06) was characteristic for women living in a stable relationship than for single women. Women who smoked in the past were characterized by a higher BMI (β = 0.09) and WC (β = 0.06) in comparison with women who have never smoked, while after menopause a greater adiposity (%BFβ = 0.12) and a worse lipid profile (TCβ = 0.08; LDLβ = 0.07; HDLβ = -0.05; TGβ = 0.14) were present in women currently smoking, in comparison to women who have never smoked. After menopause, in women who had two or more children, a greater adiposity (BMIβ = 0.07 and 0.09; %BFβ = 0.05 and 0.07) and a higher risk of MetS (OR = 1.22, 95%CI: 1.03-1.44) was observed compared to nulliparous women, than before menopause. In women with a higher level of education, the risk of MetS after menopause was significantly lower compared with women with a lower level of education (OR = 0.74, 95%CI: 0.61-0.90). Physical activity after menopause had a higher influence on the decrease in the women's adiposity (BMIβ = -0.11 v. -0.06; %BFβ = -0.11 v. -0.06; WCβ = -0.14 v. -0.08), than before menopause. In women not undergoing hormone replacement therapy, some of the socio-demographic factors and lifestyle elements affected adiposity, lipid profile and the risk of MetS differently before and after menopause, which requires verification through long-term research.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adiposity*
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism
  • Body Mass Index
  • Cholesterol / blood*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Metabolic Syndrome* / blood
  • Metabolic Syndrome* / epidemiology
  • Middle Aged
  • Postmenopause / blood*
  • Premenopause / blood*
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Triglycerides / blood*

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Triglycerides
  • Cholesterol

Grants and funding

The study was conducted with the support of the Maria Skłodowska-Curie Institute of Oncology in Warsaw and the Polish-Norwegian Foundation Research Fund (study design). The research data were collected within the scope of PONS research: ‘Establishing infrastructure for studies concerning health state of the population of Poland’ (PNRF-228-AI-1/07) (data collection). The PONS team, who collected the data that we used in our analysis, received the funds mentioned above. The study was also supported by The Ministry of Science and Higher Education from the funds received within financing statutory activity for Faculty of Health Sciences, Jan Kochanowski University, research project No. 615 507 (analysis and preparation of the manuscript). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.