Frontiers in Endocrinology · Nov 4, 2026
Appetite and Eating Behavior Throughout Menopause: A Neuroendocrine Framework
By Joao Roberto Wiese-Junior, Carlos Alberto Abujabra Merege-Filho, Khallil Taverna Chaim et al.
The menopausal transition is an important neuroendocrine phase marked by erratic changes and a sustained decline in ovarian sex steroids, occurring alongside vasomotor symptoms, sleep disruption, and adverse changes in body composition. Although estradiol and progesterone modulate eating behavior and food-related brain responses across the menstrual cycle and in preclinical models, direct evidence in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women remains limited. In this mini review, we synthesize current data on how sex steroids affect neural systems involved in eating behavior, distinguishing preclinical, menstrual-cycle, and menopause-specific evidence at each step. We summarize neuroimaging evidence from reproductive-age women and contrast it with the sparse menopause-specific literature, alongside clinical studies assessing appetite, eating behavior, and energy expenditure across reproductive aging. We propose a conceptual model in which loss of estrogenic modulation, together with symptom-related factors such as poor sleep and affective disturbances, may heighten vulnerability to cravings, uncontrolled eating, and reduced physical activity in susceptible women. Literature gaps include the lack of studies that combine reproductive staging (STRAW+10), hormone measurements, eating-behavior questionnaires, objective energy-expenditure assessment, and functional neuroimaging.