Midlife belly fat may affect brain health after menopause

A new analysis links waist size to poorer cognitive performance in recently postmenopausal women. The Kronos Early Estrogen Preventive Study examined 698 women between the ages of 42 and 58 who were within three years of menopause and found that women with larger waist-to-hip ratios had lower scores across multiple cognitive domains. The study was recently published in Menopause, the journal of The Menopause Society. “Instituting preventive lifestyle strategies before the menopause transition will result in longitudinal health gains and reduced morbidity and mortality,” says Dr. Monica Christmas, associate medical director of The Menopause Society.