Professor Zhang Cuilin, chair professor at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, and the founding Director of the Global Centre for Asian Women’s Health (GloW), pointed out the above during her talk at the Founders Longevity Forum held in Singapore between February 27 and 28.
The event was organised by Founders Forum Group, Longevity.Technology and the National University of Singapore (NUS)’s Academy for Healthy Longevity Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.
Prof Zhang presented on the topic “Nutrition and Women’s Health Over Lifespan and Across Generations” during the event.
She pointed out the various correlations between women’s health, including how the age of menarche, menstrual cycle regularity, and pregnancy status, are linked to the onset of chronic diseases, based on existing research findings.
For example, pregnancy is considered a “stress test” that reveals women who are at a greater risk of chronic diseases.
“Pregnancy is a stress test that unveil women who are at a greater risk of chronic diseases and premature mortality,” she said.
Women with a history of gestational diabetes, for instance, may be imposed to a sevenfold increased risk of type II diabetes in later life, she said, citing a 2009 study published in The Lancet.
In Singapore, about 40 per cent of these women are likely to develop diabetes in five years, she added.
Gestational diabetes is also linked to higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, as well as renal and liver dysfunction.
Another study, also published in The Lancet in 2023, reported that excessive weight gain during pregnancy is linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular mortality. This is based on a US study that followed up on over 46,000 women for a median period of 52 years.
Irregular menstrual cycle, on the other hand, is also linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes breast cancer, and premature mortality.
This is also according to findings from the Nurses' Health Study II.
It reported that women who “always” had irregular menses had the greatest risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, followed by women who “usually” had irregular periods, and women who had “regular” periods.
Women had “very regular” menstrual cycle, in comparison, had the lowest risk.
Menstrual cycle regularity, therefore is said to be “the proxy for overall health status” among women, said Prof Zhang.
While the above evidence does not prove causality but only correlation, Prof Zhang pointed out that these links nevertheless can “inform the identification of women who are at high risk” of developing chronic diseases.
They can then take preventive actions to lower their risks.
Effects on the next generation
On the other hand, a mother’s health is also linked to their children’s health.
The DoHAD hypothesis, for example, shows that the mother’s uterine environment is linked to the likelihood of the baby developing diabetes later in life.
Diet and health
Prof Zhang also pointed out the relationship between diets and women’s health.
An example is how the consumption of branched-chain amino acids rich diets, which is particularly common in the Western diet, is linked to a greater risk of gestational diabetes.
However, with exercise, diet management, weight control, and abstaining from smoking, the chance of developing gestational diabetes will be 40 per cent lower.
