Nutritional evaluation of postmenopausal women treated at a nutrition clinic in the north of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Janine Martinazzo, Gabriela Pegoraro Zemolin, Roseana Baggio Spinelli, Vivian Polachini Skzypek Zanardo, Giovana Cristina Ceni

The menopause is the stage of a woman's life when the transition from the reproductive to the non-reproductive condition occurs. The objective was to conduct a nutritional assessment of 30 postmenopausal women aged between 40 and 65, by compiling data from the first consultation of nutritional records related to food intake, as well as anthropometric and biochemical data. It was observed that the average result found for body mass index was considered high, being characterized as overweight (30.7 ± 5.9kg/m2) and waist circumference revealed a very high risk for developing cardiovascular disease (98.2 ± 15.9cm). Saturated fats were above the recommended level (8.14 ± 3.63%), whereas monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats were lower resulting in 6.47 ± 3.40% and 5.37 ± 2.60% respectively. The average calcium intake was 549.63 ± 315.87mg, while vitamin D intake was 549.63 ± 315.87mcg, both of which were considered inadequate. Triglycerides were classified as optimal (134,3 ± 85,4mg/dL), total cholesterol was borderline (223.9 ± 141.3md/dL), HDL-C adequate (54.3 ± 18.5mg/dL) and LDL-C desirable (128.4 ± 45.1mg/dL). The results demonstrate that nutritional care is important and can prevent specific comorbidities in this age group, contributing to the quality of life of menopausal women.