Exercise and diet linked to menopause
Source: Agencies |
October 13, 2011, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
WOMEN who spend time exercising or who eat a heart-healthy diet appear to reach menopause earlier, according to a Japanese study - findings researchers say could be important for cancer prevention.
Researchers led by Chisato Nagata at Gifu University tracked more than 3,100 premenopausal women over 10 years. Those who exercised the most - about eight to 10 hours a week - were 17 percent more likely to start menopause during the study than their sedentary peers.
Similarly, women who ate the most polyunsaturated fats, found in many fish and vegetable oils, were 15 percent more likely to reach menopause than those who consumed the least.
During menopause, a woman's ovaries stop producing eggs and she can no longer become pregnant. This usually begins between ages 41 and 55.
For the study, Nagata and colleagues gave food and activity questionnaires to women aged 35 to 56. Over the next decade, nearly 1,800 of them went through menopause.
Although it was unclear how old they were when that happened, the findings - published in the journal Menopause - suggested very active women and those getting lots of polyunsaturated fats have a higher chance of reaching menopause earlier.
Doing so means women have less exposure to high estrogen levels, according to JoAnn Manson, president of the North American Menopause Society. Estrogen promotes breast tumors, and that may explain why early menopause is tied to a lower risk of breast cancer.
On the other hand, early menopause has also been linked to increased risks of heart disease and bone thinning, she added.
Researchers led by Chisato Nagata at Gifu University tracked more than 3,100 premenopausal women over 10 years. Those who exercised the most - about eight to 10 hours a week - were 17 percent more likely to start menopause during the study than their sedentary peers.
Similarly, women who ate the most polyunsaturated fats, found in many fish and vegetable oils, were 15 percent more likely to reach menopause than those who consumed the least.
During menopause, a woman's ovaries stop producing eggs and she can no longer become pregnant. This usually begins between ages 41 and 55.
For the study, Nagata and colleagues gave food and activity questionnaires to women aged 35 to 56. Over the next decade, nearly 1,800 of them went through menopause.
Although it was unclear how old they were when that happened, the findings - published in the journal Menopause - suggested very active women and those getting lots of polyunsaturated fats have a higher chance of reaching menopause earlier.
Doing so means women have less exposure to high estrogen levels, according to JoAnn Manson, president of the North American Menopause Society. Estrogen promotes breast tumors, and that may explain why early menopause is tied to a lower risk of breast cancer.
On the other hand, early menopause has also been linked to increased risks of heart disease and bone thinning, she added.
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