A1 Journal article (refereed)
Total and regional body adiposity increases during menopause : evidence from a follow‐up study (2022)

Juppi, H., Sipilä, S., Fachada, V., Hyvärinen, M., Cronin, N., Aukee, P., Karppinen, J. E., Selänne, H., Kujala, U. M., Kovanen, V., Karvinen, S., & Laakkonen, E. K. (2022). Total and regional body adiposity increases during menopause : evidence from a follow‐up study. Aging Cell, 21(6), Article e13621. https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.13621

JYU authors or editors

Juppi, Hanna-Kaarina
Sipilä, Sarianna
Fachada, Vasco
Hyvärinen, Matti
Cronin, Neil
Karppinen, Jari
Kujala, Urho
Kovanen, Vuokko
Karvinen, Sira
Laakkonen, Eija

Publication details

All authors or editors: Juppi, Hanna‐Kaarina; Sipilä, Sarianna; Fachada, Vasco; Hyvärinen, Matti; Cronin, Neil; Aukee, Pauliina; Karppinen, Jari E.; Selänne, Harri; Kujala, Urho M.; Kovanen, Vuokko; et al.

Journal or series: Aging Cell

ISSN: 1474-9718

eISSN: 1474-9726

Publication year: 2022

Publication date: 04/05/2022

Volume: 21

Issue number: 6

Article number: e13621

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.13621

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/81116

Abstract

For women, menopausal transition is a time of significant hormonal changes, which may contribute to altered body composition and regional adipose tissue accumulation. Excess adiposity, and especially adipose tissue accumulation in the central body region, increases women's risk of cardiovascular and metabolic conditions and affects physical functioning. We investigated the associations between menopausal progression and total and regional body adiposity measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and computed tomography in two longitudinal cohort studies of women aged 47–55 (n = 230 and 148, mean follow-up times 1.3 ± 0.7 and 3.9 ± 0.2 years, mean baseline BMI 25.5 kg/m2). We also examined associations between menopausal progression and skeletal muscle fiber characteristics, as well as adipose tissue-derived adipokines. Relative increases of 2%–14% were observed in regional and total body adiposity measures, with a pronounced fat mass increase in the android area (4% and 14% during short- and long-term follow-ups). Muscle fiber oxidative and glycolytic capacities and intracellular adiposity were not affected by menopause, but were differentially correlated with total and regional body adiposity at different menopausal stages. Menopausal progression and regional adipose tissue masses were positively associated with serum adiponectin and leptin, and negatively associated with resistin levels. Higher diet quality and physical activity level were also inversely associated with several body adiposity measures. Therefore, healthy lifestyle habits before and during menopause might delay the onset of severe metabolic conditions in women.

Keywords: women; body composition; adipose tissues; muscles; obesity; ageing; menopause; physical activity; longitudinal research; follow-up study