2 diets found to prevent menopause weight gain — and you don’t have to give up carbs
A new study indicates that specific diets can help prevent weight gain during menopause without eliminating carbohydrates. Researchers from Harvard University tracked nearly 40,000 women and identified two effective eating patterns. The findings suggest that a plant-based diet and a low-insulin diet can mitigate weight gain associated with hormonal changes during menopause.
- ▪Up to 70% of women gain weight during the menopause transition, averaging 1.5 pounds per year.
- ▪The study identified the planetary health diet and the low-insulin diet as effective in preventing obesity.
- ▪The planetary health diet emphasizes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes, while the low-insulin diet focuses on high-fiber carbohydrates and healthy fats.
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Women's Health 2 diets found to prevent menopause weight gain — and you don’t have to give up carbs By McKenzie Beard Published May 20, 2026, 1:16 p.m. ET See more of our coverage in your search results. Add The New York Post on Google Hot flashes and mood swings may steal the spotlight during the “change of life,” but they’re only part of the story. Research shows up to 70% of women gain weight during the menopause transition, with the scale creeping up by an average of 1.5 pounds per year starting in the mid-40s. But a sweeping new study suggests this trend may not be inevitable, identifying specific eating patterns that could help prevent weight gain and obesity in middle-aged and older women — and they don’t even have to give up carbs.
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