Menopausal Status and Abdominal Obesity Are Significant Determinants of Hepatic Lipid Metabolism in Women.

Background: Android fat distribution (abdominal obesity) is associated with insulin resistance, hepatic steatosis, and greater secretion of large very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) particles in men. Since abdominal obesity is becoming increasingly prevalent in women, we aimed to investigate the relationship between android fat and hepatic lipid metabolism in pre- and postmenopausal women.

Methods And Results: We used a combination of stable isotope tracer techniques to investigate intrahepatic fatty acid synthesis and partitioning in 29 lean and 29 abdominally obese women (android fat/total fat 0.

Lower resting and total energy expenditure in postmenopausal compared with premenopausal women matched for abdominal obesity.

The menopause is accompanied by increased risk of obesity, altered body fat distribution and decreased skeletal muscle mass. The resulting decrease in RMR should be accompanied by a compensatory change in energy balance to avoid weight gain. We aimed to investigate habitual energy intake and expenditure in pre- and postmenopausal women matched for abdominal obesity.