World Menopause Day: 18 October 2013

October is the month of menopause awareness and 18th October is World Menopause Day, which aims to raise awareness on the importance of menopausal health.

Menopause is a natural life event affecting mid-life women, which usually occurs anywhere from the late 40s to early 50s. The average life expectancy for Australian women is now 84 years¹, which means that menopause is not the beginning of old age, as it is sometimes viewed; rather, it is the beginning of a new life stage – one that can be expected to continue for several decades.

Worldwide, the ageing population is growing, which means there is an increasing number of women going through menopause and living long lives post-menopause. Many symptoms of menopause, such as hot flushes, sweats and changes in mood can significantly impact on the quality of day to day life. Post-menopause, the risk of developing certain conditions can also increase, including osteoporosis² and cardiovascular disease.³ This is why it is important to improve awareness about menopause and also the measures the can be taken to both reduce symptoms and improve overall health.

Healthy diet and lifestyle practices play an important role in managing the menopausal transition and protecting against later disease risk. Eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, managing stress and reducing risky behaviours such as smoking and excess alcohol consumption, will all contribute to better health.

Useful resources

• http://www.womhealth.org.au
• http://www.jeanhailes.org.au
• http://www.menopause.org.au

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics 2008 "Life Expectancy at Birth" http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Products/8E024E559282AE30CA2576780025ACAC?opendocument
2. Wluka et al. Maturitas 2000; 35(3):183-99. 3. Crandall & Barrett-Connor. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am 2013; 42(2): 227-53.