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Welcome to factsaboutfitness.com.
The answer to that question is tricky. Yes, after menopause women tend to gain more belly fat primarily due to three key factors: estrogen (or lack thereof), metabolic syndrome and inflammatory biomarkers that change during and after menopause. These factors affect how our body metabolizes the supplied energy from food. Below is a brief summary of each factor:
Estrogen
Estrogen is responsible for fat distribution in the body. When estrogen is absent, the risk for other disorders such as metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance increases along with the increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (Kumar & Prasad, 2015). Lovejoy, Champagne, De Jonge, Xie and Smith (2008), report fat redistribution to the belly is due to alterations in adipose tissue metabolism. Therefore, estrogen deficient women tend to gain fat in the abdominal region. Another reason belly fat is so prominent in menopausal women according to Teta (2014), is due to an estrogen/progesterone imbalance. A combination of the two hormones have an anti-insulin and anti-cortisol effect which control belly fat. When estrogen is absent, fat can then settle in the abdominal region. The role of estrogen on the many mechanisms of the body is significant so the lack thereof can have detrimental effects in menopausal women.
Metabolic Syndrome
In a study by Yun-jin Kim and Hye-rim Hwang (2018), metabolic syndrome (MetS) in women is defined by having abdominal obesity of greater than 85 cm, and can be diagnosed when three or more of the following were present: (1) waist circumference greater than 85cm; (2) systolic blood pressure greater than 130 mmHg and diastolic greater than 85 mmHg or antihypertensive medication use; (3) fasting plasma glucose concentration greater than 100 mg/dL or antidiabetic medication use; (4) triglyceride concentration greater than 150 mg/dL or anti-dyslipidemic use; (5) HDL-C concentration less than 60 mg/dL or anti-dyslipidemic use. According to Lavoie et al., (2018) MetS affects 43% of postmenopausal women. Physical activity has been shown to protect against metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. For example, in the study by Lavoie et al., (2018) it was determined postmenopausal women diagnosed with MetS were less physically active than those without. From this study, the conclusion can be made that regular exercise during and postmenopause can protect against MetS.
Inflammatory Biomarkers
Another factor to consider when discussing weight gain in menopausal women is the prevalence of inflammatory biomarkers. Inflammatory biomarkers include high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA), interleukin-6 (IL6), leukocyte and neutrophil. In a study by Imayama et al.,( 2012) researchers determined exercise regimens caused significant decreases in inflammatory biomarkers and decreased body fat, therefore reducing the risk of disease in postmenopausal women. Although the inflammatory biomarkers do not cause obesity, the reduction of inflammation will help reduce stressors within the body and allow for weight loss.
Resources
Imayama, I., Ulrich, C. M., Alfano, C. M., Wang, C., Xiao, L., Wener, M. H., & McTiernan, A. (2012). Effects of a caloric restriction weight loss diet and exercise on inflammatory biomarkers in overweight/obese postmenopausal women: A randomized controlled trial. Cancer Research, 72(9), 2314–2326. https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-11-3092
Kumar, A., & Prasad, S. (2015). Menopause and obesity: beyond what is expected - a review. Indian Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 5(2), 35–39.
Lavoie, M.-È., Messier, V., Mignault, D., Karelis, A. D., Garrel, D., Prud’homme, D., & Rabasa-Lhoret, R. (2008). Relationship between the metabolic syndrome and physical activity energy expenditure: a MONET study. Applied Physiology, Nutrition & Metabolism, 33(2), 309–314.
Lovejoy, J. C., Champagne, C. M., de Jonge, L., Xie, H., & Smith, S. R. (2008). Increased visceral fat and decreased energy expenditure during the menopausal transition. International Journal of Obesity, 32(6), 949–958. https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2008.25
Teta, J. (2014). How to help clients beat belly fat. IDEA Fitness Journal, 11(3), 44–51.
Yun-jin Kim, & Hye-rim Hwang. (2018). Clustering effects of metabolic factors and the risk of metabolic syndrome. Journal of Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome, 27(3), 166–174. https://doi.org/10.7570/jomes.2018.27.3.166