There are many phases in a woman's life, menarche, menstruations, pregnancy, postpartum and menopause. Each phase comes with its own challenges, and changes the way of looking at life. However, narrowing to one, today we are focusing on weight gain after menopause. Gaining weight is a common concern for many women are approaching menopause. This period brings hormonal changes, shifts in activity levels and effects of aging. All of these contribute to weight gain. However, not everyone experiences weight gain during menopause, and individual experiences may vary greatly.

Menopause and Its Life Phases

Before diving into the specifics of weight gain, it’s helpful to understand the terminology associated with menopause:

• Premenopause refers to the period between puberty and the commencement of perimenopause.
• Perimenopause is the transitory period before menopause, characterized by fluctuating reproductive hormones.
• Menopause is defined as the absence of menstrual cycles for 12 consecutive months.
• Postmenopause is the period following menopause; typically used interchangeably with "menopause."

Hormonal Changes and Weight Gain

Hormones influence weight fluctuations after menopause, specifically how fat is distributed and how the body controls hunger.

Fat Content and Distribution

The hormonal fluctuations of perimenopause and menopause influence where fat is stored in the body:

Perimenopause: During this phase, estrogen levels fluctuate while progesterone levels decline steadily. In early perimenopause, higher estrogen levels can promote fat storage in the hips and thighs as subcutaneous fat, which generally carries fewer health risks.

Menopause: As estrogen levels drop significantly, fat storage shifts to the abdominal area as visceral fat.

This type of fat surrounds internal organs and is associated with health risks like:

• Insulin resistance
• Type 2 diabetes
• Heart disease
• Other metabolic issues

Appetite Regulation

Lower estrogen levels during perimenopause can have an impact on appetite management. A 2019 analysis found that decreased estrogen may diminish satiety signals, making you feel less full after meals. This might lead to increased calorie consumption and weight gain.

The Effect of Age on Weight

Weight gain during menopause is attributed to more than just hormonal changes. Several elements come into play throughout the aging process:

Increased fat content and decreased muscle mass: These changes affect the body's resting energy expenditure (REE), which means fewer calories are expended when at rest.

Lower activity levels: Fatigue, sleep difficulties, and menopause-related symptoms can all lead to a decrease in physical activity, further reducing REE and increasing weight.

Managing Weight Gain During Menopause

If you are concerned about weight gain during menopause, a variety of strategies can help you manage it effectively. It is usually recommended that you speak with a healthcare practitioner before developing a specific approach.

Dietary modifications

Focus on a well-balanced diet that includes less carbohydrates, more fiber, and less added sugar and salt.

Include nutrient-dense meals to boost overall health.

Physical exercise

Regular exercise helps to maintain muscle mass and reduce body fat. Strength training, aerobic, and flexibility exercises are quite beneficial.

If you have osteoporosis, see your doctor about safe activity options.

Rest and Stress Management

Prioritize sleep and relaxation to combat fatigue and stress, both of which can contribute to weight gain.

Mindfulness practices or yoga may help reduce stress levels.

Researchers have recently found that looking closely at the shape of the main buttock muscle, called the gluteus maximus, gives important clues about a person's health. This muscle shape reflects key changes linked to how we age, our lifestyle choices, and medical problems like diabetes.

This new study, done by a team at the University of Westminster, is unique because, unlike older research that only measured how big the muscle was, the team used advanced 3D mapping to show exactly where and how the muscle shape was changing.

These shifts, either the muscle shrinking (atrophy) or becoming inflamed, are connected to things like being frail, the amount of time someone sits each day, fat storage and diabetes risk.

How Do Muscle Changes Indicate Diabetes Risk?

the research analysed a large dataset, looking at over 61,000 MRI scans taken from the large U.K. Biobank health database.

Along with the MRI images, the dataset also included detailed information on 86 different factors for each person, including their medical history, body measurements, and what kind of lifestyle they led.

By putting all this data together, the team was able to figure out which specific factors were strongly linked to changes in the shape of the buttock muscle over time.

The analysis revealed strong connections between muscle shape and certain health factors:

Fitness

People who were considered fitter, meaning they reported doing more vigorous physical activity and had a stronger hand grip, tended to have a greater gluteus maximus shape. This often means the muscle was larger and more defined.

Aging and Frailty

On the other hand, factors like getting older, being generally frail (weak), and spending many hours sitting were all linked to muscle thinning or shrinkage. This suggests that a lack of use and the natural process of aging reduce the muscle's size and fullness.

How Gender Affects Muscle Responses

A very important discovery was that the gluteal muscles don't change in the same way for men and women, especially when they are dealing with a disease. For example, men who were considered frail showed more shrinkage (thinning) in their gluteus maximus compared to women who were also frail.

When the researchers examined Type 2 diabetes, the difference was even more noticeable: diabetic men showed clear muscle thinning (reduced muscle mass), while diabetic women often showed enlarged muscle mass.

This larger appearance in women is likely due to fat building up within the muscle tissue, rather than the muscle itself growing stronger. These differences strongly suggest that the body's biological response to diseases like Type 2 diabetes may be completely different between men and women.

What Does Your Glute Shape Reveal About Health??

The researchers conclude that the shape of the buttocks, rather than simply its size, is more closely connected to fundamental metabolic changes happening in the body. Because the gluteus maximus is one of the largest muscles in the body, its health plays a crucial role in overall metabolic health.

These findings suggest that tracking gluteal muscle shape could potentially become a new way to monitor metabolic health and disease risk.

The NHS will not be automatically inviting all men above a certain age to check for prostate cancer, unlike the approach for some other cancers. The UK National Screening Committee has suggested that the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test should only be actively offered to men carrying the BRCA gene mutation, which increases their risk. Still, men can request a PSA test from their GP in certain situations.

Olympic cycling hero Sir Chris Hoy, who has received a terminal diagnosis, is among those campaigning for men with known risk factors to be invited for a PSA test at a certain age, even if they do not have any symptoms.

Prostate Cancer Screening: What Is The PSA Test?

A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test checks the level of PSA in your blood. PSA is a protein produced by the prostate, a small gland in the male reproductive system located just below the bladder. The prostate produces the fluid part of semen.

The NHS says the test might be suggested if you notice symptoms that could point to prostate cancer, such as:

• urinating more often than usual, feeling a sudden urge to pee, or waking up frequently at night to urinate
• blood in your urine
• difficulty getting or maintaining an erection

However, for most men, urinary symptoms are caused by something other than cancer.

A PSA test is usually carried out at a hospital or GP surgery by a nurse or other healthcare professional. Men are asked to avoid certain activities for 48 hours before the test, as these can temporarily raise PSA levels and affect the result. Activities to avoid include anything that leaves you out of breath, like strenuous exercise.

If a man’s PSA level comes back high, they may be offered a repeat test to see if the levels remain raised. If they do, the GP may refer them to a specialist for further investigations, such as a biopsy or an MRI scan.

Prostate Cancer Screening: Why Is The PSA Screening So Controversial?

PSA levels can rise for many reasons, including minor infections, and around 75% of men with a raised PSA do not have prostate cancer. A high reading can lead to referrals for unnecessary biopsies or MRI scans, or treatment for tumours that might never have caused harm.

The PSA test can also miss aggressive cancers. Research has shown that roughly 15% of men with a normal PSA result may actually have prostate cancer.

Prostate Cancer Screening: Who Can Currently Get The PSA Test?

Routine PSA testing is not offered as standard on the NHS. You might be offered a test if a doctor suspects symptoms that could indicate prostate cancer. Men undergoing treatment for a prostate condition may be offered regular PSA checks to monitor how treatment is progressing.

Men aged 50 and over can request a PSA test from their GP, even without symptoms. Campaigners say many men are unaware that they are at higher risk of prostate cancer and should be actively encouraged to think about having a PSA check.

Prostate Cancer Screening: Who Else Could Get It?

If the UK National Screening Committee’s recommendation is approved by the Government next year, men with the BRCA gene mutation could also be invited for a PSA test. Men who think a family member might have had the BRCA gene mutation can request a genetic test on the NHS to find out.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. As you may know, It is a physical illness that causes the brain to gradually stop functioning correctly, leading to a decline in memory and thinking skills. Alzheimer’s is not just a condition that affects not only memory but also many aspects of daily life, including behavior patterns, routines, and speech.

According to Alzheimer’s Society, the disease is affecting more people than ever: roughly one million people in the UK currently have dementia, a figure expected to rise significantly by 2050.

Catching Alzheimer's early is key to ensuring patients and caregivers receive the right medical care and support. One of the best ways to spot the beginning of mental decline is by noticing changes in how a person uses language and speaks.

5 Speech Clues That May Signal Early Alzheimer's

New speech problems are often one of the first indicators of the disease. Here are five subtle signs to watch out for:

Pauses, Hesitations, and Vagueness

People often have trouble finding the exact word they want to use. This causes them to stop frequently, leading to long pauses and hesitations while speaking. When they can't remember the word, they might use very general words like "thing," or they will try to describe what the forgotten word is, they will describe the forgotten word instead of saying it directly.

Using Incorrect but Related Words

A person might replace the correct word with one that is somehow connected to it. For instance, if they mean to say "fork," they might mistakenly say "spoon" because both are common eating tools. In the very early stages, they might use a general category word, like saying "animal" instead of the specific word, "cat."

Talking About a Task Instead of Doing It

When someone needs to start a task, they may struggle to begin or complete it. Instead of discussing the actual steps needed, they talk about their feelings. They might say, "I used to be able to do this easily," or "I don't think I can manage it now," showing worry or doubt instead of focusing on the job at hand.

Less Word Variety

The person's language starts to sound much simpler and less colourful. They tend to stick to basic, common words and may repeat the same verbs and adjectives over and over again. They also use connecting words like "the," "and," or "but" very often to link their basic sentences, making their speech sound repetitive.

Trouble Finding Words in Groups (Categorization)

It becomes difficult for them to quickly name things that belong to a specific category. For example, if asked to name five types of food, different parts of the body, or words starting with the letter 'P,' they struggle. This challenge becomes noticeably harder and more frustrating as the disease progresses.

Why Early Detection Matters

While everyone forgets a word now and then, Persistent and worsening problems with memory, fluency, and varied language could be an early sign of Alzheimer's.

Age is the biggest factor for Alzheimer's risk, with the chance doubling every five years after age 65. However, the disease can affect people under 65 (early-onset Alzheimer's). Spotting these speech changes early is especially crucial for people who are already at a higher risk, such as those with Down Syndrome.