Menopause, developing countries and the 21st century.

According to the independent projections of the United Nations Population Division and of the World Bank, the global population (presently: 4.7 billion) will continue to grow until the year 2100 or 2150, when it is expected to stabilize at an approximate level of 11 billion. Ninety-five per cent of this future growth will occur in developing countries, with an increasing number and proportion of women aged 45 and over; their number will exceed 700 million before the turn of the century. The past decade, or two, witnessed a dramatic increase in life expectancy at birth, especially in developing country women, but little, if any, information is available about the menopause in those countries. An urgent task of high priority is therefore to establish on a country-to-country basis the age distribution and sociocultural significance of the menopause and of the prevalence of various menopausal disorders, which to a huge extent will determine the health- and social service needs of individual developing countries. Furthermore, a rapid progress must be made in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders and senility. It is suggested that the establishment of a Special Programme of Research by the World Health Organization on the problems of aging would significantly accelerate progress in this field.