Cohort Study

Metabolic Syndrome Risk Surges During the Menopausal Transition

A 20-year longitudinal cohort study of 841 Chinese women found that metabolic syndrome prevalence increased from 15% in the reproductive stage to nearly 44% in late postmenopause, with the highest odds occurring in early postmenopause. Vasomotor symptoms—including hot flashes—were significantly linked to central obesity and elevated triglycerides, identifying the late perimenopause transition as a critical window for metabolic screening and intervention.