By 1991 census data, there are 33 million women age 50 and older, the median age at which natural menopause occurs. With the addition of surgical menopause women, there are over 40 million postmenopausal women. Estimates of the prevalence of Estrogen Replacement Therapy (ERT) use range from 12 to 33 to 45%. Estimated current moderate alcoholic beverage consumption among women age 50-60 is 59%, and 37% among women over 60. Thus 5 to 18 million women are being treated with ERT, while as many as 20 million postmenopausal (PMP) women drink moderately. The number of postmenopausal who both drink and use ERT is unknown. Both ERT therapy and moderate alcohol consumption increase PMP estrogen levels; both ERT and moderate alcohol consumption, significantly reduce coronary heart disease risk, the major cause of death in PMP women. There are 3 goals, of the proposed research: 1) To determine the patterns of alcohol consumption, of health behaviors such as smoking, dietary habits/nutrient intake and physical activity, and of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) use among 1250 normal PMP volunteers of different ethnic/racial backgrounds participating in a study determinants of PMP estrogen levels. 2) To determine in normal PMP women not treated with ERT whether smoking, physical activity, nutrient intake and ethnic/racial origin influence PMP estrogen levels in addition to already identified estrogen determinants which include moderate alcoholic beverage consumption, body fat mass, and ovariectomy. 3) To determine in normal PMP women treated with ERT to what degree circulating levels of estrogen achieved with estrogen replacement therapy are modulated by factors which influence the production and metabolism of estrogen and other hormones in PMP women.
| Gavaler, Judith S; Rosenblum, Elaine (2003) Predictors of postmenopausal body mass index and waist hip ratio in the oklahoma postmenopausal health disparities study. J Am Coll Nutr 22:269-76 |
| Gavaler, J S; Bonham-Leyba, M; Castro, C A et al. (1999) The Oklahoma Postmenopausal Women's Health Study: recruitment and characteristics of American Indian, Asian, Black, Hispanic, and Caucasian women. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 23:220-3 |
| Gavaler, J S (1998) Alcoholic beverages as a source of estrogens. Alcohol Health Res World 22:220-7 |
