When a woman stops ovulating and her monthly menstrual cycle (periods) ceases, it is known as menopause (also known as the Climatic). The average normal menopausal age is 51 years, but it may occur earlier or later. Weight gain and change in the overall shape of the body are the foremost symptoms of menopause.

Weight gain during menopause helps the woman’s body prepare itself against osteoporosis. It also lessens symptoms like anxiety and hot flashes.

But excessive weight gain during menopause is a sign that something is wrong with the hormone levels, blood glucose levels or eating habits.

Weight gain is associated with certain Risk Factors after Menopause –

Heart diseases

High blood pressure

Breast cancer

Type 2 diabetes

Stroke

Breast cancer

Colorectal cancer

‘Male menopause is a lot more fun than female menopause. With female menopause you gain weight and get hot flashes. Male menopause - you get to date young girls and drive motorcycles’. - Author Unknown

Dealing with Menopause - Slideshow

Quiz on Menopause

However do not despair with the above quotation. Menopause is second adulthood when a women gets liberated from the ‘wretched monthly periods.’ Live sensibly and you can avoid this weight gain. As it is popularly said - if fifty is the old age of youth, then fifty is the youth of this second adulthood.’ Germaine Greer in her book - The Change: "Women need to devise their own Rite of Passage, a celebration of what could be regarded as the restoration of a woman to herself".