Climacteric symptoms according to body weight in women of different socio-economic groups

The possible influence of body weight on the 'climacteric symptoms of 618 selected women in spontaneous post-menopause has been studied based on data collected at a Geriatric Centre and subsequently incorporated into a postal questionnaire. These cases were divided into 3 groups according to the “obesity degree”: (I) <5 kg (53.1% of the cases); (II) between 5 and 15 kg (31.7%); and (III) >15 kg (15.2%). The data were also analysed according to the socio-economic groups to which the women belonged.

Overweight women, compared with. thin women, seemed to suffer less “somatic” symptoms such as hot flushes and perspiration, independently of their socio-economic level. This might well be a consequence of the higher endogenous oestrogen activity.

On the contrary, “psychic” symptoms (anxiety, depression, irritability, crying spells) seemed to be more frequent and severe (a) in the “obesity degree” sub-group III, compared with sub-groups I and II, in the women belonging to the higher socio-economic group, and (b) in the sub-groups I and III, compared with sub-group II, in the women belonging to the lower socio-economic group. Such a difference between the socio-economic groups is possibly due to cultural factors. The effects of endogenous oestrogens in the overweight women seem to be easily overruled by the influence of psychological factors.