Evaluation of nutritional status and eating habits of Polish women during the menopause transition – a pilot study

Introduction:
The menopause is a natural biological process in a woman’s life when the hormonal activity of the ovaries ceases. It has an impact on the woman’s further life. In this study we analysed nutritional status and nutrition of women during the menopause transition.

Material and methods:
The study was carried out in 2018 using an online questionnaire survey. Data were obtained from 90 women from Poland aged between 40 and 55 years. The subjects were selected using the snowball method. The questionnaire included questions about demographic and social situa­tion, lifestyle, and health as well as questions related to the menopausal period, diet, and eating habits of the respondents. The Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) was used to obtain data related to the diet. The results were analysed using STATISTICA version 13 (StatSoft, Inc.).

Results:
Almost half of the respondents were overweight and over 20% were obese. Abdominal obesity was found in 71% of the women. Older age was significantly associated with higher waist circumference. Most women did not follow any special diet. The most consumed products during the day were fruit and vegetables but also wholegrain products, dairy products, meat, and cereal products. Women who often consumed whole grains, buckwheat, fatty fish, legumes, soy products, and green leafy vegetables more frequently reported a significantly lower intensity of vasomotor symptoms, fatigue, and insomnia.

Conclusions:
The study suggests that the excessive body weight among women during the menopausal transition is a common problem. Women should be encouraged to maintain a healthy lifestyle during the lifespan, also because a proper diet improves the quality of life associated with the symptoms of meno­pause.