The right nutrition and good dietary practices play a pivotal role in all stages of life. A recent community-based study exposed a concerning trend in perimenopausal women and nutritional needs i.e. decline in nutritional status, marked by increased weight, fat accumulation, and changes in body composition. Therefore, there is a need for tailored interventions that consider individual differences in sociodemographic backgrounds.

Understanding the nuances of nutritional status goes beyond simplistic measures like body mass index (BMI). By researching body composition indicators, a more comprehensive view, vital for designing effective interventions can be followed. Shujuan Liao and researchers evaluated the one-year course on the nutritional status of 2760 women undergoing perimenopause and discovered which factors are responsible for the same.

Featuring three-wave repeated measurements set apart at 6-month intervals, the crucial nutritional status indicators, such as weight, body mass index (BMI), and various body composition variables, were analyzed. The assessment of body composition was done via bioelectrical impedance analysis. The variations in the nutritional status were tracked and associated factors were governed.

An increasing pattern was observed in waist-hip ratio, weight and fat mass. On the other hand, other variables- skeletal muscle, protein level, and total body water decreased. A greater total body water, skeletal muscle and protein level; and lesser fat mass and waist-hip ratio was witnessed in married women or unmarried with a partner without stressful life incidents. The fat mass indicated a noteworthy positive correlation with age. Women who completed junior high school exhibited were more likely to have an increased fat mass than those with completed primary school or even lower. Monthly earnings per capita varying from 1500-3000 Yuan correlated with elevated levels of total body water, skeletal muscle, and protein compared to lower incomes. Perimenopausal women commonly experience a decline in nutritional status, characterized by heightened BMI, waist-hip ratio and diminished levels of skeletal muscle, total body water, and protein. To enhance effectiveness, targeted nutritional interventions based on distinct risk categories as per the sociodemographic profiles are needed, as established.