Shedding those extra kilos can relieve women of menopausal hot flashes, a new research shows.
Researchers conducted the study on 40 overweight or obese white and African-American women with hot flashes - one of the most common symptoms of menopause. The team noted that 70 percent of women reported hot flashes during the menopausal transition with some experiencing it more severely or frequently, states a press release.
Hot flashes increase risk of poor quality of life, sleep problems and depression. Recent data shows that hot flashes are usually persistent, lasting on an average for nine years or more.
In this pilot study, researchers examined hot flashes before and after intervention through physiologic monitoring, diary notings and questionnaire. Researchers found a significant correlation between weight loss and hot flashes. Moreover, it was noted that more the weight loss, less the hot flashes women experienced.
Researchers said that results were encouraging in proving the benefits of weight reduction in the management of menopausal hot flashes.
"This is encouraging news for women looking for relief for this bothersome midlife symptom," says NAMS Executive Director Margery Gass, MD. "Not only might behavior weight loss provide a safe, effective remedy for many women, but it also encourages a health-promoting behavior. Since many of the women in this pilot study indicated their primary motivator for losing weight was hot flash reduction, we know that this could be a strong incentive for women to engage in a healthier lifestyle which provides numerous other health benefits beyond hot flash management."
The findings were published last month in the journal Menopause.
