Low insulin diet and avoiding four food groups may prevent menopause weight gain

A low-insulin diet may help curb menopause weight gain, with researchers suggesting that avoiding four food groups could help women avoid gaining weight.

The findings suggest women who ate more vegetables and avoided red and processed meats, potatoes, salty foods and ultra-processed foods were most likely to prevent weight gain during menopause.

Weight gain and changes in body shape are common during perimenopause and menopause.

At least 50 per cent of women experience weight gain during this stage, according to the British Menopause Society.

Evidence suggests women gain an average of about 1.5kg a year during menopause, with average weight gain reaching 10kg by the time menopause is reached.

New research published in JAMA Network Open has identified dietary patterns linked to lower midlife weight gain and obesity during menopause.

The study analysed data from 38,283 women over a 12-year period, covering six years before and six years after menopause.

It used information from the Nurses’ Health Study II, a long-running US study into factors affecting women’s health between 1989 and 2019.

The NHS advises that eating well and exercising can help with menopause symptoms.

It also recommends calcium-rich foods, such as milk, yoghurt and kale, to support bone health.

Researchers assessed participants’ diets every four years and recorded changes in body weight each year.

They examined 11 dietary patterns, including plant-based diets, Mediterranean diets, low-carbohydrate diets and ultra-processed food intake, to see which were linked to less weight gain during menopause.

A low-insulinaemic diet focuses on foods that help keep insulin levels steadier. Insulin is a hormone that helps control blood sugar, and repeated spikes may encourage the body to store more fat.

The study found diets higher in natural, fibre-rich foods and lower in carbohydrates and sugary foods were linked to better weight control.

Researchers said red and processed meats, French fries and potatoes, high-sodium foods and ultra-processed foods were most strongly linked to insulin spikes and menopausal weight gain.

Red and processed meats, along with poultry, were positively associated with weight gain.

French fries were found to trigger hormonal signals that can encourage fat storage.

Researchers also found that higher sodium intake was associated with the greatest weight gain among participants.

Ultra-processed foods and sugary juices were also linked to a higher risk of obesity.

The researchers concluded that avoiding these foods and eating more nuts, legumes, wholegrain carbohydrates and vegetable proteins may help prevent obesity and support longer-term heart health in women.