PERIMENOPAUSAL OBESITY

In recent years perimenopausal obesity has attracted much attention, b ecause it affects as many as 60% of women of menopausal age. The sever e clinical implications of obesity directed our efforts to establish e tiological factors and possible ways of treatment. It is clear that th ere are numerous conditions that underly perimenopausal obesity. Among these, genetic factors, neuropeptides, adrenergic nervous system acti vity and hormones play a role. Reproductive hormones are also an impor tant factor, but their influence on adipose tissue is only indirect be cause there are no receptors for sex steroids in fatty tissue. Reports of hormone replacement therapy in women of postmenopausal age have co me to different conclusions, so its influence on the etiology of perim enopausal obesity cannot be completely excluded. However, the potentia l benefit of this kind of treatment in female patients at menopausal a ge must always be considered.