School of Sport, Exercise, and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK.
Brain Behav. 2024 Jul;14(7):e3609. doi: 10.1002/brb3.3609.
Experiences of menopause and quality of life during menopause can vary extensively among women. While menopause has been associated with negative impacts on eating and body image, it is unclear to what extent quality of life differs by eating disorder risk status. The aim of this study was to explore how menopause symptoms and quality of life differ between those women at high- or low-risk of an eating disorder and the potential protective role of body appreciation.
This cross-sectional survey study explored differences in menopausal quality of life, body appreciation, and body dissatisfaction among women classified as high- or low-risk of an eating disorder as part of a wider survey on aging, health, and psychological complaints during midlife. Participants were 255 females aged between 40 and 60 years. Participants were classified as high-risk and low-risk of an eating disorder based on Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) scores. Differences between groups on the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL), Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ-16), and Body Appreciation Scale-2 were analyzed. The predictive relationship between menopausal quality of life and body appreciation was also explored.
Participants in the high-risk group (n = 111) reported significantly poorer menopausal quality of life compared to the low-risk group (n = 144), scoring significantly higher on the sexual, physical, and psychosocial subscales of the MENQOL. The high-risk group also had significantly greater body dissatisfaction and less body appreciation than the low-risk group. Overall, menopausal quality of life was a significant predictor of body appreciation.
Women with greater eating disorder risk may be faring less well with menopause. Treating and preventing menopause-related eating disorders will benefit from interventions aimed at not only reducing body dissatisfaction, but actively bolstering body appreciation and supporting the sexual, physical, and psychosocial aspects of the menopausal transition.
绝经期经历和绝经期生活质量在女性中差异很大。虽然绝经期与饮食和身体形象的负面影响有关，但尚不清楚生活质量在多大程度上因饮食障碍风险状况而有所不同。本研究旨在探讨处于饮食障碍高风险或低风险的女性在绝经期症状和生活质量方面的差异，以及身体欣赏的潜在保护作用。
本横断面调查研究探讨了处于饮食障碍高风险或低风险的女性在绝经生活质量、身体欣赏和身体不满方面的差异，这是一项更广泛的关于中年期衰老、健康和心理投诉的调查的一部分。参与者为 255 名年龄在 40 至 60 岁之间的女性。参与者根据 Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) 得分被分类为高风险和低风险的饮食障碍。使用 Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL)、Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ-16) 和 Body Appreciation Scale-2 分析了两组之间的差异。还探讨了绝经期生活质量与身体欣赏之间的预测关系。
高风险组（n=111）的参与者报告绝经期生活质量明显较差，与低风险组（n=144）相比，MENQOL 的性、身体和心理社会子量表得分明显更高。高风险组的身体不满程度也明显高于低风险组，身体欣赏程度明显低于低风险组。总的来说，绝经期生活质量是身体欣赏的一个重要预测因素。
饮食障碍风险较高的女性在绝经期可能会更困难。治疗和预防与绝经期相关的饮食障碍将受益于干预措施，这些措施不仅要减少身体不满，还要积极增强身体欣赏，并支持绝经期过渡的性、身体和心理社会方面。
