Early onset of menopause increases the risk of coronary heart disease or stroke, but not diabetes. This was shown by a study published in the journal Menopause.

Previously, it was believed that early menopause (ages 40–45) or premature menopause (before age 40) could contribute to the development of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. As a result, the body almost completely stops producing this hormone, and from the very onset of the disease a person requires regular insulin administration. Type 2 diabetes is not associated with a lack of insulin, but with the loss of sensitivity to it by the body’s cells.

The hypothesis linking early menopause to a high risk of diabetes was based on hormonal changes that are often accompanied by an increase in fat mass and the development of insulin resistance. These factors are associated with impaired carbohydrate metabolism.

To test this assumption, researchers analyzed data from nearly 147,000 women. The average follow-up period was 14.5 years, and the average age of participants was about 60 years. Approximately 60% of the women were overweight or obese. During the observation period, diabetes was diagnosed in 4.5% of participants.

An analysis adjusted for confounding factors showed that the age at menopause was not statistically significantly associated with the risk of developing diabetes—neither during the period of hormonal changes nor before it.

At the same time, the study revealed a clear association between diabetes and other risk factors. The disease developed significantly more often among women who smoked, were obese, consumed few vegetables, had excessive salt intake, or were taking cholesterol-lowering medications. The authors emphasize that, unlike the age at menopause, these factors are modifiable and therefore may become key targets for prevention.