Dr. Dugan discusses the importance of exercise.
Dr. Dugan:
We found that exercise is really important and even just regular, daily physical activity to reduce the amount of intra-abdominal fat that you’re going to make as you go through menopause. We also see the opposite with stress. If you’re under more stress, you can have higher intra-abdominal fat around midlife. And we have even studied things like discrimination, and women that are discriminated against also have higher intra-abdominal fat than women that are not.
About Dr. Dugan, M.D.:
Dr. Sheila A. Dugan, M.D., is Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Rush Medical College, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois. She is a faculty member of the Department of Neurosurgery and the Department of Preventive Medicine. She is co-medical director of the Rush Program for Abdominal and Pelvic Health.
Dr. Dugan is multi board-certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, electrodiagnostic medicine and pain medicine. She is highly skilled in neurological and sports-related rehabilitation. Prior to medical school, she received her physical therapy degree from Northwestern University in 1986. She's currently pursuing development of a program focused on women's musculoskeletal care, including both their medical and rehabilitation needs.