Cognitive and behavioral weight management strategies during the menopausal transition: Insights from the Menopause and Weight Loss (ME-WEL) project

• Published in: Maturitas 2024-09, Vol.187, p.108060, Article 108060
• Main Authors: Leitão, Mafalda, Pérez-López, Faustino R., Marôco, João, Pimenta, Filipa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Behavioral change; Body Mass Index; Cognition; Cognitive and behavioral strategies; Female; Health Behavior; Humans; Menopause - psychology; Middle Aged; Obesity; Portugal; Postmenopausal women; Postmenopause - physiology; Postmenopause - psychology; Weight Loss; Weight maintenance; Weight management
• ISSN: 0378-5122; 1873-4111; 1873-4111
• DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2024.108060

•The study identified the cognitive and behavioral weight management strategies employed by postmenopausal women who had maintained a healthy weight during the menopausal transition.•These strategies aligned with the Oxford Food and Activity Behaviors Taxonomy.•Five new strategies emerged, warranting consideration for risk groups.•A lexicometric analysis identified four different classes of strategies. Most women experience weight gain during the menopausal transition, often attributed to behavioral factors. Nevertheless, some women successfully maintain a healthy weight during this phase. This study aims to identify the successful cognitive and behavioral weight management strategies employed by postmenopausal women who effectively maintained a healthy weight during the menopausal transition (from premenopause to postmenopause). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 31 Portuguese postmenopausal women, aged 45–65 years (mean and standard deviation 54.06 ± 5.51) who successfully maintained a healthy weight (body mass index: 18.5 kg/m2–24.9 kg/m2) during the menopausal transition. The interviews were conducted via telephone (n = 29) and Zoom (n = 2), based on the participant's preference, and ranged from 11 to 52 min (22.06 ± 9.95). Using MAXQDA software, deductive-dominant content analysis of the interviews was performed. The Interface of R for the Multidimensional Analyses of Texts and Questionnaire software was used for lexical analysis. The qualitative analysis of cognitive and behavioral strategies for successful weight management yielded 17 categories and 37 sub-categories. Effective cognitive and behavioral strategies (e.g., planning content, stimulus control, support: help from others) were identified, mostly aligning with the Oxford Food and Activity Behaviors Taxonomy. Five new categories emerged: dietary choices, intuitive eating, food literacy, psychological self-care, and effortful inhibition. Knowing effective cognitive and behavioral weight management strategies for menopausal women is relevant, especially considering their status as a high-risk group. This knowledge provides a valuable guide for designing weight management interventions, emphasizing the essential role of behavioral change.