The association between weight-promoting medication use and weight gain in postmenopausal women: findings from the Women's Health Initiative. Issue 10 (October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Stanford, Fatima Cody; Cena, Hellas; Biino, Ginevra; Umoren, Olivia; Jimenez, Monik; Freeman, Marlene P.; Shadyab, Aladdin H.; Wild, Robert A.; Womack, Catherine R.; Banack, Hailey R.; Manson, JoAnn E.
• Is Part Of: Menopause. Volume 27:Issue 10(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-10
• Subjects: Obesity -- Weight gain -- Weight-promoting medications -- Antidepressants -- Psychotropic weight gain -- Beta-blockers -- Antihistamines -- Sleep agents -- Insulin -- SteroidsAntiWeight-promoting; Menopause -- Periodicals; 618.175005
• DOI: 10.1097/GME.0000000000001589
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1072-3714

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: With the rise in obesity, there has been a concomitant increase in prescription medications associated with weight gain. The objective of this study is to quantify the magnitude of association between putative weight-promoting medications and 3-year weight change in a diverse cohort of postmenopausal women in the Women's Health Initiative (WHI). Methods: This is a prospective observational cohort study, considering 40 sites in the WHI and a cohort of seventy six thousand two hundred fifty-two postmenopausal women aged 50-79 years, with weight measured at both baseline and 3 years, in the WHI-Observational Study. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were measured at baseline and 3 years. An in-clinic medication inventory identified prescribed medications, including antidepressants, beta-blockers, insulin, and/or glucocorticosteroids. Generalized linear models evaluated if intermittent or persistent use of weight-promoting drugs was associated with increased BMI and WC during a 3-year follow up. Results: Women with overweight or obesity at baseline were more likely to be taking antidepressants, beta-blockers, and/or insulin. Taking at least one putative weight-promoting medication was associated with a greater increase in BMI (0.37 vs 0.27 kg/m 2, P = 0.0045) and WC (1.10 cm vs 0.89 cm, P = 0.0077) over the course of 3 years compared to women not on these medications. Both BMI and WC increased with the number of weight-promoting drugs prescribed ( P for trend per medication used < 0.00001 for both variables). Those who took either antidepressants or insulin, or a combination of antidepressants and beta-blockers, were most likely to have a significant increase in BMI compared to nonusers. Conclusions: Antidepressants, beta-blockers, and insulin were associated with weight gain in postmenopausal women. This information may help to inform clinical decision-making and efforts to mitigate medication-related weight gain. N/A: Video Summary: http://links.lww.com/MENO/A617 . Abstract : Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text