For women navigating menopause, the instinct to eat less when weight starts creeping up may be doing more harm than good, according to a new analysis from the CSIRO.
The findings point to a “protein gap” among women aged 40–55 that could be shaping how their bodies respond during this life stage.
A gap in the diet, not just the scales
An online survey of 1303 female CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet members found almost 8 in 10 reported weight gain during menopause.
Separately, CSIRO’s analysis of the 2023–24 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey found that women in this age bracket consume roughly 35g less protein per day than the optimal intake of 1.2g/kg body weight, with only 1 in 3 meeting that benchmark.
CSIRO Research Scientist Dr Gilly Hendrie says the findings show that the instinct to simply eat less can be counterproductive.
“When weight gain occurs during the transition to menopause, it can be tempting to simply eat less.
“But making the right food choices and having enough protein becomes especially important at this life stage.
“Adequate dietary protein helps to manage appetite, support muscle mass, strength and overall physical health,” says Dr Hendrie.
Wellbeing takes a hit, too!
Almost 90% of the surveyed women said menopause had affected their well-being, with 1 in 5 rating the impact as “significant”.
Half reported that following the Total Wellbeing Diet program helped.
“Weight gain and its flow-on effects on wellbeing are commonly experienced by women during menopause, and yet many are unsure what they can actually do to manage their weight during this time,” says Dr Hendrie.
“There is no one-size-fits-all protein target, which is why understanding your own needs is so important.
“For women navigating menopause, being more deliberate about dietary protein can be a simple but meaningful step for supporting long-term health.”
Women can find their personal protein target using the free CSIRO Protein Calculator at totalwellbeingdiet.com/protein.
