Underweight Women are at Higher Risk of Early Menopause

A study in Human Reproduction reports that women who are underweight are at higher risk than women of normal weight of going through menopause before age 45.

The study enlisted nearly 80,000 women starting back in 1989. Over the next 22 years, 2,804 of them went through natural menopause. After controlling for several factors including smoking, oral contraceptive use, and pregnancies, the study found that women who had a Body Mass Index (BMI) under 18.5 were 30% more likely to go through menopause before age 45 than women with BMIs between 18.4 and 22.4 (defined as normal weight).

The study does not tell us why a low body weight increases the likelihood of early menopause. And to be clear, menopause is a natural phenomenon for all women, eventually. However, early menopause does have implications for family planning, and it is sometimes associated with other conditions such as osteoporosis later in life. Women who are concerned should consult their doctor.