Diet and age at menopause: Is there a connection?

This study does have limitations. For one, it relied on women to accurately remember what they ate in the past, and didn’t prove that the dietary differences actually caused the shifts in menopausal age. In addition, it included only 900 women — the ones who began menopause — in its final analysis, and used a relatively short four-year follow-up period, says Dr. Ley. That said, the findings are still worth noting, she says. They add to the ongoing discussion about the role of diet in menopause. They also seem to back up data from the Nurses’ Health Study II, which suggested that dietary factors — specifically lower levels of calcium and vitamin D in the diet — may be linked to an earlier menopause. Regardless of whether research ultimately proves that diet influences age at menopause, there’s already ample evidence that adopting a healthy eating pattern — including plenty of oily fish and legumes — is a good idea, whether you’re looking for better health or a later menopause. The post Diet and age at menopause: Is there a connection? appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health Healthy Eating Menopause Vaccines Source Type: blogs