Invited papers: lifestyle

There is increasing interest in nutrition and lifestyle interventions as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or to complement HRT in the management of menopausal symptoms and menopause/ageing-related disease. Many women find it difficult to control their weight during menopause and this can be a key motivating factor to making dietary and lifestyle changes. From the available evidence, it would appear that isoflavones can improve some menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and can have a positive effect on plasma lipid profiles and bone mineral density, particularly when incorporated as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.