Timing matters: lipid intake and its influence on menopausal-related symptoms
Abstract Background Menopause contributes to central obesity and increases cardiovascular risk in women. Diet influences both menopausal symptoms and cardiovascular health, but the impact of chrononutrition, namely food timing, is not well understood. This cross-sectional study investigated whether...
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2025-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Translational Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-025-06705-x |
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| author | Ludovica Verde Luigi Barrea Evelyn Frias-Toral Raynier Zambrano-Villacres Daniel Simancas-Racines Pasqualina Memoli Martina Galasso Silvia Savastano Annamaria Colao Giovanna Muscogiuri |
| author_facet | Ludovica Verde Luigi Barrea Evelyn Frias-Toral Raynier Zambrano-Villacres Daniel Simancas-Racines Pasqualina Memoli Martina Galasso Silvia Savastano Annamaria Colao Giovanna Muscogiuri |
| author_sort | Ludovica Verde |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Menopause contributes to central obesity and increases cardiovascular risk in women. Diet influences both menopausal symptoms and cardiovascular health, but the impact of chrononutrition, namely food timing, is not well understood. This cross-sectional study investigated whether the timing of food intake affected menopausal symptoms in 100 postmenopausal women with overweight or obesity. Methods Anthropometric and clinical parameters, and lifestyle habits were assessed. Menopausal symptoms were evaluated using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS). Nutritional assessment utilized 7-day food records. Food intake was divided into morning intake (meals from breakfast to lunch) and evening intake (meals from afternoon snacks to dinner). Results The mean MRS score was 22.7 ± 7.8, showing a high prevalence of symptoms in the study population. Postmenopausal women under the median of morning energy intake showed a significantly a higher score for heart discomfort (p = 0.045), while those under the median of morning intake of lipids showed significantly higher scores for heart discomfort and lower scores for bladder problems (p = 0.013 and p = 0.040, respectively). Postmenopausal women above the median evening intake of lipids showed a significantly higher score for heart discomfort (p = 0.007). The heart discomfort score correlated negatively and positively with the morning (r = -0.210, p = 0.034) and evening (r = 0.210, p = 0.034) intakes of lipids, respectively, even after correction for confounding factors (r = -0.219 and r = 0.219, p = 0.028 for both). Conclusion Consuming most of the energy and lipids later in the day was linked to higher prevalence of menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women with overweight or obesity. This eating pattern may potentially have adverse effects on the cardiovascular health of these women. Therefore, adopting chrononutrition behaviors, particularly favoring an earlier intake of energy and lipids, could prove beneficial as an additional measure in the nutritional therapy for postmenopausal women dealing with overweight or obesity. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6bda08a02ba24bf6b8e3f870e92d7a59 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1479-5876 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Translational Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-6bda08a02ba24bf6b8e3f870e92d7a592025-08-24T11:47:57ZengBMCJournal of Translational Medicine1479-58762025-08-0123111010.1186/s12967-025-06705-xTiming matters: lipid intake and its influence on menopausal-related symptomsLudovica Verde0Luigi Barrea1Evelyn Frias-Toral2Raynier Zambrano-Villacres3Daniel Simancas-Racines4Pasqualina Memoli5Martina Galasso6Silvia Savastano7Annamaria Colao8Giovanna Muscogiuri9Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico IIDipartimento di Psicologia e Scienze della Salute, Università Telematica PegasoSchool of Medicine, Universidad Católica de Santiago de GuayaquilEscuela de Nutrición y Dietética, Universidad Espíritu SantoCentro de Investigación en Salud Pública y Epidemiología Clínica (CISPEC), Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud Eugenio Espejo, Universidad UTECAD Poliambulatorio PastenaCentro Italiano per la cura e il Benessere del Paziente con Obesità (C.I.B.O), Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico IICentro Italiano per la cura e il Benessere del Paziente con Obesità (C.I.B.O), Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico IICentro Italiano per la cura e il Benessere del Paziente con Obesità (C.I.B.O), Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico IICentro Italiano per la cura e il Benessere del Paziente con Obesità (C.I.B.O), Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico IIAbstract Background Menopause contributes to central obesity and increases cardiovascular risk in women. Diet influences both menopausal symptoms and cardiovascular health, but the impact of chrononutrition, namely food timing, is not well understood. This cross-sectional study investigated whether the timing of food intake affected menopausal symptoms in 100 postmenopausal women with overweight or obesity. Methods Anthropometric and clinical parameters, and lifestyle habits were assessed. Menopausal symptoms were evaluated using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS). Nutritional assessment utilized 7-day food records. Food intake was divided into morning intake (meals from breakfast to lunch) and evening intake (meals from afternoon snacks to dinner). Results The mean MRS score was 22.7 ± 7.8, showing a high prevalence of symptoms in the study population. Postmenopausal women under the median of morning energy intake showed a significantly a higher score for heart discomfort (p = 0.045), while those under the median of morning intake of lipids showed significantly higher scores for heart discomfort and lower scores for bladder problems (p = 0.013 and p = 0.040, respectively). Postmenopausal women above the median evening intake of lipids showed a significantly higher score for heart discomfort (p = 0.007). The heart discomfort score correlated negatively and positively with the morning (r = -0.210, p = 0.034) and evening (r = 0.210, p = 0.034) intakes of lipids, respectively, even after correction for confounding factors (r = -0.219 and r = 0.219, p = 0.028 for both). Conclusion Consuming most of the energy and lipids later in the day was linked to higher prevalence of menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women with overweight or obesity. This eating pattern may potentially have adverse effects on the cardiovascular health of these women. Therefore, adopting chrononutrition behaviors, particularly favoring an earlier intake of energy and lipids, could prove beneficial as an additional measure in the nutritional therapy for postmenopausal women dealing with overweight or obesity.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-025-06705-xMenopauseObesityMenopausal symptoms nutritionDietFood timingCircadian rhythms |
| spellingShingle | Ludovica Verde Luigi Barrea Evelyn Frias-Toral Raynier Zambrano-Villacres Daniel Simancas-Racines Pasqualina Memoli Martina Galasso Silvia Savastano Annamaria Colao Giovanna Muscogiuri Timing matters: lipid intake and its influence on menopausal-related symptoms Journal of Translational Medicine Menopause Obesity Menopausal symptoms nutrition Diet Food timing Circadian rhythms |
| title | Timing matters: lipid intake and its influence on menopausal-related symptoms |
| title_full | Timing matters: lipid intake and its influence on menopausal-related symptoms |
| title_fullStr | Timing matters: lipid intake and its influence on menopausal-related symptoms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Timing matters: lipid intake and its influence on menopausal-related symptoms |
| title_short | Timing matters: lipid intake and its influence on menopausal-related symptoms |
| title_sort | timing matters lipid intake and its influence on menopausal related symptoms |
| topic | Menopause Obesity Menopausal symptoms nutrition Diet Food timing Circadian rhythms |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-025-06705-x |
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