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Early or late menopause can lead to type 2 diabetes

───   12:30 Wed, 27 Jul 2016

Early or late menopause can lead to type 2 diabetes | News Article

New research has shown women who go through their menopause before 46 or after 55 have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Much like getting our periods, having to endure the menopause is a rite of passage for us ladies. While it’s never going to be a fun experience, new research has pointed out that those who experience before the age of 46 and after 55 are at a much greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

A team from U.S. care provider Kaiser Permanente actually found that those who have their last period before 46 are 25 per cent more likely to become diabetic and women who have their last one after 55 are 12 per cent more likely.

To come to their results researchers studied data from the Women's Health Initiative, a national study of post-menopausal women aged between 50-79 in the ‘90s which followed them for over 10 years.

As part of the study the women filled in questionnaires about their health, medical conditions and reproductive history. None had diabetes at the start of the study.

When the group were looked at 12 years later, type 2 diabetes was more common in women who had gone through the menopause early or later than average. This is a condition in which a person's blood sugar level can become too high.

Results have been published in Menopause, the official journal of the North American Menopause Society.

"Women who start menopause before or after that window should be aware that they are at higher risk, and should be especially vigilant about reducing obesity, eating a healthy diet and exercising,” said lead researcher Dr Erin LeBlanc.

"These lifestyle changes will help to reduce their risk for type 2 diabetes."

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