This study was performed to determine whether a personalized sex-specific intervention, WAIPointes (WAI stands for Who Am I), could reduce central obesity in women undergoing perimenopausal transition. Eighty-three of 103 women aged 35 to 55 years and experiencing symptoms of the menopausal transition completed a 6-month WAIPointes demonstration project; 75 consented to data review. Sex-specific history was obtained on visit 1; directed physical examination for body mass index, body fat percentage, waist circumference, and blood pressure were performed at each of four or five subsequent monthly visits. Other tests were ordered as necessary to determine risk stratification. Participants were assessed for menopause status, and they reported activity and menopausal symptoms at each visit. Personalized strategies for health improvement were developed in partnership. Women served as their own controls. Data from visit 2 were compared with data from visit 4. The results showed that the intervention reduced waist circumference and diastolic blood pressure and improved self-reported menopausal symptoms and physical activity levels. The authors conclude that the WAIPointes program offers potential as an effective officebased clinical intervention to reduce cardiovascular risk factors and symptoms of menopause in women during the menopausal transition. Menopause. February 2014. PMID: 24518150.
