Adherence to Mediterranean dietary pattern and menopausal symptoms in relation to overweight/obesity in Spanish perimenopausal and postmenopausal women

• Published in: Menopause (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 22; no. 7; p. 750
• Main Authors: Sayón-Orea, Carmen, Santiago, Susana, Cuervo, Marta, Martínez-González, Miguel A, Garcia, Aquilino, Martínez, Jose Alfredo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.07.2015
• Subjects: Adult; Body Mass Index; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet, Mediterranean - psychology; Diet, Mediterranean - statistics & numerical data; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Obesity - diet therapy; Obesity - epidemiology; Overweight - diet therapy; Overweight - epidemiology; Patient Compliance - statistics & numerical data; Perimenopause - physiology; Perimenopause - psychology; Postmenopause - physiology; Postmenopause - psychology; Quality of Life; Spain - epidemiology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Spain
• ISSN: 1530-0374
• DOI: 10.1097/GME.0000000000000378

This study aims to assess the relationship of adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern, as well as the presence of menopausal symptoms, with overweight/obesity in Spanish perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Participants in this cross-sectional study were 8,954 Spanish perimenopausal or postmenopausal women. Anthropometric measurements were recorded, and all women were interviewed to assess their adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern, using a validated questionnaire and the Menopause and Health subscale of the validated Cervantes Scale. A logistic regression model was used to investigate the association between categories of adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the odds of being overweight/obese. Multinomial logistic regression was used to study the association between menopausal symptoms and the odds of being overweight/obese (reference categories: participants in the low-adherence category and participants with no menopausal problems). After adjustment for relevant confounders, the odds ratio (95% CI) for being overweight/obese among women in the highest category of adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern was 0.68 (0.60-0.78; P for trend <0.001). The odds ratio (95% CI) for being overweight/obese was 3.05 (1.98-4.71) for the category "severe problems" in comparison with the category "no problems." Higher adherence to a healthy dietary pattern (Mediterranean diet) is inversely associated with overweight/obesity in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. The occurrence of low to severe problems during perimenopause or postmenopause is positively associated with overweight/obesity. Therefore, high adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern and a body mass index of 25kg/m(2) or lower might improve quality of life in women at these stages.