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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Health & Science

Post-Menopause Weight Gain: Doctor Reveals 3 Major Dietary Pitfalls

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A Harvard study tracking nearly 40,000 women for 12 years found that women gain an average of 0.8 kg per year after menopause if they don't control their diet.
  • The study identified three major dietary pitfalls contributing to weight gain: red and processed meats, high-sodium foods, and fried foods/refined carbohydrates.
  • Adopting a low-insulin-response diet, focusing on fresh fruits, colorful vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes, can significantly combat weight gain and reduce obesity risk.

Women often experience significant weight gain after menopause, with a Harvard study revealing an average annual increase of 0.8 kg, totaling 8 kg over a decade, if dietary habits aren't managed. However, research published in "JAMA Network Open" offers a hopeful outlook: a "low-insulin-response diet" can halve obesity risk and reduce annual weight gain by nearly 0.3 kg.

Women in menopause, if they don't deliberately control, will quietly gain 0.8 kg per year on average, which is 8 kg of pure meat in 10 years.

— Dr. Tsai Ming-chiehDr. Tsai Ming-chieh, an endocrinology and metabolism specialist, citing a 12-year Harvard study on nearly 40,000 women, explains the typical weight gain experienced after menopause.

Endocrinology and metabolism specialist Dr. Tsai Ming-chieh highlights three primary dietary "landmines" that trigger weight gain in menopausal women. These include red and processed meats, which contain saturated fatty acids and promote inflammation, leading to insulin resistance and fat storage. High-sodium foods, often found in processed items, are also identified as major culprits, not only for increasing cardiovascular risk but also for causing water retention and hindering metabolism.

Sodium is not only an enemy of blood pressure, but also a big boss of weight loss.

— Dr. Tsai Ming-chiehDr. Tsai Ming-chieh identifies high-sodium foods as a major dietary pitfall contributing to weight gain.

The third pitfall involves fried foods and refined carbohydrates, such as french fries. These foods cause rapid spikes in blood sugar and insulin. The combination of high-glycemic starch and high-temperature oils can impair insulin sensitivity and activate the liver's fat synthesis pathway, making the body prone to weight gain.

Fried french fries combine high-glycemic index (GI) starch, which causes blood sugar and insulin to spike instantly; at the same time, the cooking oil used in high-temperature frying further damages cell insulin sensitivity.

— Dr. Tsai Ming-chiehDr. Tsai Ming-chieh explains why fried foods and refined carbohydrates are detrimental to weight management.

Conversely, the study emphasizes "Planetary Health Diet" principles for maintaining a healthy weight. Foods rich in dietary fiber, unsaturated fats, and antioxidants, including fresh fruits, colorful vegetables, whole grains (like brown rice, oats, quinoa), nuts, and legumes, are recommended. These foods help stabilize blood sugar, reduce chronic inflammation, and keep hormones in check, empowering women to maintain a confident and attractive physique throughout their lives.

Fresh fruits, colorful vegetables, whole grains (like brown rice, oats, quinoa), nuts, and legumes (quality plant-based protein).

— Dr. Tsai Ming-chiehDr. Tsai Ming-chieh lists the recommended food groups that help protect against weight gain and maintain a healthy physique.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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