Nutritionist names two daily habits that help women gain 'significantly less abdominal fat' during menopause
Menopause belly fat can be tackled with the right approach
GETTY
While weight fluctuations occur consistently throughout our lives, they may be harder to address when driven by hormonal fluctuations.
Menopause, for instance, can cause difficulties in weight management as a decrease in oestrogen leads to changes in body composition.
Fortunately, reclaiming control over hormones can reverse many of these changes, with diet and exercise some of the most effective tools.
Registered nutritionist Elizabeth Ward, who co-authored The Menopause Diet plan, told GB News that when it comes to tackling menopausal belly fat, a carefully controlled diet and exercise are key.
Belly fat can be stubborn when driven by hormonal fluctuations
GETTY"Soluble fibre, found in oatmeal, oat cereals, barley, beans, nuts, lentils, peas, apples, blueberries, oranges, Brussel sprouts, and sweet potatoes, may offer an advantage in preventing belly fat," explained Elizabeth.
She added that diet plus exercise interventions may be more effective than diet-only interventions for weight loss, however.
Research published in Obesity found that increasing soluble fibre intake by 10 grams, alongside moderate exercise two to four times a week, led to significantly less abdominal fat accumulation over five years.
An ideal exercise programme, according to Elizabeth, would comprise approximately 30 minutes of moderate physical a activity performed two to four times weekly.
This was observed in one comprehensive review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, from 2023, which analysed 36 randomised control trials to assess the most effective approaches for reducing visceral fat, the type of fat that encases the vital organs around the body's midsection.
The study found that while both calorie reduction and regular exercise helped reduce belly fat, physical activity appeared to have a stronger impact on body composition.
The research showed that exercise provides the benefit of maintaining muscle mass while targeting visceral fat, challenging common misconceptions about resistant visceral belly fat being impossible to lose.
Elizabeth shared: "I've seen many influencers peddling the idea that you can't shed belly fat because it's resistant for reasons only they know.
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A carefully controlled diet can shift body weight
GETTY"Such claims are not based on scientific research and they're often used to peddle expensive programs or supplements that magically bust belly fat."
The perimenopausal phase of a woman's life, which can last between four to 10 years, often leads to a decrease in physical activity.
One study published in the Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, which followed 380 women, found that abdominal fat accumulate speeds during the years before and after a woman's final menstrual period.
Less movement combined with natural muscle loss creates a double effect of fewer calories being burned and increased body fat accumulation.
"It's unclear why, but lower oestrogen levels favour fat deposition around the body's midsection," explained Elizabeth.
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