New Canadian research has found that menopause could be a risk factor for women developing metabolic syndrome, a collection of conditions including a higher waist circumference, low levels of "good" cholesterol and higher blood pressure, which together can increase the risk of other serious health conditions.
Published online in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS), the new study looked at data gathered from more than 10,000 women aged 45 to 85 years old who participated in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.
The researchers found that there was a link between menopause and an increased risk of metabolic syndrome or some of the conditions that make up the condition, including hypertension (high blood pressure), central obesity (which is excessive fat around the stomach) and high blood sugar.