Family Practice Vol. 20, No. 4, 401-409
© Oxford University Press 2003
Womens' Health |
Weight gain among women in the late reproductive years
Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology and Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics,
a Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Psychiatry,
b Center for Research in Reproduction and Women’s Health, and
c Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Correspondence to Mary D Sammel, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 423 Guardian Drive, 605 Blockly Hall, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. E-mail: msammel{at}cceb.upenn.edu
Background. Given the impact of obesity on mortality and morbidity in women, we evaluated correlates of weight gain in women ages 35–47 years.
Methods. Three hundred and thirty-six African American and Caucasian American women, randomly selected from among urban residents aged 35–47 years and pre-menopausal at baseline, were included in the prospective cohort study. Participants were followed over a 4-year period. Baseline measures included anthropometric variables, socio-demographic factors, measures of anxiety, depressed mood, quality of life, and self-reported measures of diet, vigorous physical activity, alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking. Hormone measurements were obtained during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Weight gain was assessed by comparing the baseline weight with weight measured at the end of the 4-year period.
Results. Over 25% of the cohort gained 
10 lb during follow-up. Five of the 14 women (36%) who were considered menopausal gained weight. Women aged 45–47 were 61% less likely to gain 10 lb compared with women aged 35–39 [odds ratio (OR) = 0.39, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.18–0.87]. Depressed mood was a major correlate of weight gain (OR = 1.9, 95% CI 1.09–3.31). Other psychological measures, including anxiety and quality of life, were similarly correlated with weight gain. No association was detected for levels of sex hormones or self-reported measures of physical activity. Most recalled dietary factors were not predictive of subsequent weight gain in our population.
Conclusions. In this population-based sample of women aged 35–47 years, psychological factors were the major predictors of gaining 10 lb during a 4-year follow-up period. Few of the other measures, including baseline hormone values, were correlated with subsequent weight gain. These findings suggest that screening for depression and anxiety may be important clinical assessments to identify women at increased risk of substantial weight gain.
Keywords. Pre-menopausal women, weight gain.
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