Prospective evaluation of body weight and body fat distribution in early postmenopausal women with and without hormonal replacement therapy

Aims: In order to assess the effects of menopause and hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) on body weight and body fat distribution (determined by dual energy X-ray), early postmenopausal women were given either oral calcium (500 mg/day, control group, n = 13) or HRT, a combination of estradiol valerate (EV, 2 mg/day for 21 days) with cyproterone acetate (CPA. I mg/day in the last 10 days of the treatment cycle, n = 18; Climen((R)), Schering). Results: There were no differences in basal body weight and body fat distribution in the two groups before the study. In control group, a significant (P < 0.05) increase in body weight (from 63.5 +/- 2.0 to 68.7 +/- 2.0 kg after 36 months) paralleled a shift to a prevalent central, android fat distribution with a slight but significant (P < 0.05) increase in total body fat mass (from 23.4 +/- 2.1 to 29.1 +/- 2.1 kg), an increase in trunk (from 10.1 +/- 0.4 to 12.7 +/- 0.4 kg, P < 0.05), arms (from 2.4 +/- 0.2 to 2.9 +/- 0.2 kg, P < 0.05) and legs (from 6.5 +/- 0.4 to 7.8 +/- 0.4 kg P < 0.05) fat. In the HRT group total body bone mineral showed a significant increase (from 1086 +/- 21 to 1128 +/- 19 mg/cm(2), P < 0.05) increase after 36 months, with no significant increase in body weight (from 62.6 +/- 1.8 to 65.0 +/- 1.9 kg), and no modifications in trunk (from 10.0 +/- 0.2 to 10.1 +/- 0.2 kg) and arms (from 2.4 +/- 0.1 to 2.6 +/- 0.1 kg) fat, but a significant increase in legs fat (from 6.9 +/- 0.3 to 9.9 +/- 0.4 kg, P < 0.05). Conclusion: Present results demonstrate that menopause is associated with an accelerated increase in body weight and body fat, with a prevalent central, android fat distribution, that can be counteracted at least in part by oral HRT. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.