The redistribution of fat toward the abdominal region during menopause (the "menopause belly") is a real and predictable biological change linked to declining estrogen, rather than a lack of willpower, which makes the classic caloric restriction strategy ("eat less, move more") unsuitable.

noli's read

Research solidly validates the existence of the "menopause belly": the longitudinal observational SWAN study shows that declining estrogen leads to a measurable redistribution of fat from the hips to the abdomen in the form of visceral fat. Scientific literature reviews confirm that this morphological change is biological in nature. However, regarding overall weight gain, a benchmark study on energy expenditure (Pontzer et al., Science) shows that the metabolic slowdown during this period of life is primarily linked to general aging and the natural loss of muscle mass, rather than menopause itself. The advice not to rely solely on "eating less" is quite relevant: overly severe caloric restrictions risk breaking down muscle mass, which further weakens resting energy expenditure. Finally, the British Menopause Society guidelines agree that it is preferable to focus on dietary quality and muscle strengthening to support metabolic health.

the sources

No named source held this one up — that absence is part of the verdict.