Central abdominal fat and endogenous hormones during the menopausal transition

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of endogenous hormone levels on central abdominal fat during the menopausal transition in a population-based cohort of Australian-born women. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Population-based sample. Body composition was assessed in the Royal Melbourne Hospital, and interviews were conducted at the patient's home. SUBJECT(S): One hundred two women from the Melbourne Women's Midlife Health Project. Data, physical measures, and blood were obtained by interview when the longitudinal study commenced (baseline) and at the time of the total body scan approximately 5 years later. Body composition was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Total body fat and central abdominal fat. RESULT(S): The 102 women were either premenopausal or in the early menopausal transition at baseline. At the time of their dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan, 31 were in the early menopausal transition, 22 were in the late menopausal transition, and 49 were postmenopausal. Multiple regression analysis found that total percentage of body fat was associated with weight measures, whereas central abdominal fat was also positively associated with baseline free T index (FTI) and with the increase in FTI since baseline. CONCLUSION(S): The major hormonal change associated with central adiposity during the menopausal transition is the increase in the FTI. This effect is significant even after allowing for baseline and final weight.