1. Nutrition for Women
(Pre and Post Menopause)
Created by:
City of St. Louis Department of Health
Health Promotion, Education & Marketing,
Nutrition Services
Katie Niekamp & Marissa Robinson,
Saint Louis University Dietetic Interns

2. Goals:
Address the most common concerns
women have for staying healthy during
menopause
Educate women on how nutrition and
physical activity can address these
concerns
Encourage women to lead a healthy
lifestyle

3. Women voice their concern . . .
Two most frequently expressed
concerns of women:
Weight gain
1.
2. Bone health and osteoporosis

4. #1. Weight Gain

5. Menopause and Weight Gain
Hormones play a critical role in weight
gain during and after menopause
Estrogen:
– the female sex hormone is stored in fat.
During menopause, production decreases and
the body looks for estrogen in fat stores. The
body also stores more fat during this time to
compensate for declining estrogen
production.

6. More Hormones
Progesterone
– This hormone also decreases during
menopause, which results in water retention and
bloating.
Androgen
–This hormone increases, and is responsible for
storing fat in the mid‐section
Testosterone –
‐ This hormone decreases, which causes a
decrease in muscle mass resulting in lower
resting energy expenditure

7. Menopause DOES NOT have to equal
weight gain!

8. Weight Maintenance / Loss
Nutrition:
Choose low fat foods at meals and snacks
Eat less saturated and trans fat, as well as
cholesterol
‐there are 9 calories per gram of fat,
therefore a food that has 10 grams of
fat in it has 90 calories.
‐Carbohydrates and protein only have 4
calories per gram

9. Weight Maintenance / Loss
Choose healthy fats
Unsaturated – mono / poly
– Olive oil, canola oil, avocados, nuts
No more than 30% of total daily
calories
Try and eat foods that have less than 30% of
their calories from fat per serving to help keep
your total daily fat calories below 30%
Look for baked, broiled, steamed, or grilled
meats on menus to try and cut fat
Read labels!!!

10. Weight Maintenance / Loss
Eat LOTS of fruits and veggies
Strive for at least 7‐9 servings per day!
– Choose all colors!
– Fill half your plate with veggies and fruit
at all meals
– Serving size = ½ cup
– Fruits and veggies are filled with fiber
and antioxidants
– Fiber helps get you
fuller faster and
keeps you fuller longer

11. Weight Maintenance / Loss
Eat more whole grains
Look at labels!
– Ingredient listings must say WHOLE
GRAIN in order for it to be a whole
grain. “WHEAT” DOES NOT = WHOLE
GRAIN!
– Whole grains have lots of fiber which
make you feel fuller
– Studies show that regular
consumption of fiber can result in a
lower BMI and waist circumference,
as well as aid in weight maintenance
– Make half your grains whole grains

12. Weight Maintenance / Loss
Reduce salty and salt cured foods
Sausages, smoked fish and ham, bacon,
bologna and deli meats
Canned foods – choose low or reduced sodium
Use herbs and spices to flavor foods
Avoid processed sugary drinks
Regular soda, kool‐aid, non‐diet flavored
waters and sports drinks
– Empty calories, excess calories
– High intakes of salt and sugar can make
you retain water and feel bloated.

13. Other benefits of nutrition
Studies show that women who eat a balance
nutritional diet high in whole grains, fruit and
vegetables, and low in fat have lower
cholesterol levels and decreased risks for
diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

14. Weight Maintenance / Loss
Physical Activity:
Increases the amount of calories your body
uses
– Calories in = Calories out for weight maintenance
Increases resting energy expenditure even
after the exercise is done
Increases heart rate which makes body
more efficient at using calories
Lowers blood pressure after workout is
done.
– Continual workouts over a period of several days
will have longer and greater effects

15. Other Benefits of exercise
Sedentary women:
suffer more from chronic back pain,
stiffness, insomnia, GI irregularity, poor
circulation, muscle weakness, shortness
of breath, and depression
Active women who regularly walk, jog, swim,
bike, etc have less of these problems and
achieve higher HDL levels

16. Other Benefits
Studies show women who perform aerobic
activity or strength training reduced their risks
for mortality from cardiovascular disease and
cancer.
Mood:
Exercise has a positive effect on mood through
the release of hormones called endorphins.
– quot;feel goodquot; hormones involved in the body's
positive response to stress.
– The mood‐heightening effect can last for
several hours

17. #2. Bone Health & Osteoporosis

18. Bone Health / Osteoporosis
Normal bone / Osteoporosis

19. Bone Health / Osteoporosis
Nutrition:
Calcium: 1000mg per day for pre‐menopausal
1500mg per day for post‐menopausal
Eat at least 3‐4 high calcium foods per day:
milk, yogurt, cheese, dairy products, oysters, sardines,
salmon with bones, and dark green leafy vegetables like
spinach and broccoli.
Supplements: calcium carbonate is more easily
absorbed in the body
Tums, Caltrate

20. Bone Health / Osteoporosis
Vitamin D: aids in Calcium absorption, bone
formation
Sun, milk
RDA = 400 mg per day

21. Bone Health / Osteoporosis
Bones: quot;use it or lose itquot; rule
– They diminish in size and strength
with disuse.
– Weight‐bearing exercise (walking,
running) will help increase bone
mass.
– Exercise stimulates the cells
responsible for generating new bone
to work overtime.
– Bone tissue lost from lack of use can
be rebuilt with weight‐bearing
activity.
– In postmenopausal women,
moderate exercise preserves bone
mass in the spine, helping reduce the
risk of fractures.

22. AGE SPECIFIC NUTRITION
RECOMMENDATIONS

23. What to Eat in Your 30’s
Watch Snacking!!!
Eat a healthy snack like an apple
before lunch to help cut calorie
consumption during meals
Be mindful of the food your kids are
eating
High calorie snacks are tempting, be
cautious of amounts if you share
snacks with your children often

24. Eating in Your 40s
Your metabolism has slowed
by about 4% at this time!!!
-Cut 4% of your usual intake
Example – usual intake of 2000 kcals
reduced to 1920 calories
Make smart substitutions and save
calories – drink water instead of soda

25. 40s continued
Eat breakfast – eating breakfast helps curb
hunger until lunch and results in less high
calorie snacking and fewer calories at
lunch
Recognize true hunger cues
Ask yourself if you are truly hungry before
reaching for food
Thirst is often confused with hunger – try
drinking a glass of water before snacking
If you find you are bored or lonely, seek other
activities instead of snacking

26. Eating in Your 50s
Metabolism drops again, so cut another
75 calories to maintain weight
Try soy – using soy milk or other soy
products like tofu is beneficial for weight
loss
Eat regularly
– eating at about the
same time every day helps
your insulin and blood sugars
stay regulated

27. Summary – for all ages!
Eat Healthy!
Start your day with a good breakfast
Whole grains, low fat dairy, fruit
Include healthy snacks
Low fat dairy, fruit, veggies, lean proteins, healthy
fats
Remember balance and variety
Read nutrition labels
Eat from all food groups
Moderation!

28. Summary – for all ages!
Get Moving!
Fit in 30‐60 minutes of activity in your
daily routine
Walk, bike, jog, swim, dance,
housework, stairs
Any movement is activity, so just get
up and do something to work up a
sweat and get your heart pumping!

29. Questions

30. References
www.womenshealth.gov
www.womenshealth.about.com
www.epigee.org/menopause/weight_
gain.html
www.eatright.org
www.health.com/health/article/0,2341
4,1717643,00.html