['To investigate whether fat distribution or sex hormone status in overweight postmenopausal women do influence the response to treatment of overweight.', 'Longitudinal, clinical intervention study of a 4.2 MJ diet daily with or without exercise.', '98 healthy, overweight, postmenopausal women (age: 49-58 y, BMI: 25-42 kg/m2).', 'Various fatness and fat distribution parameters (by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and anthropometry), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), sex hormones, and the resting energy expenditure (REE) at baseline and after 3 months.', 'Reductions in weight and fat were independent of the initial fat distribution and the REE, but were significantly associated with high initial SHBG levels. Furthermore, loss of fat was significantly and independently associated with increases in SHBG and reductions in central fat distribution.'] Is the response to treatment of overweight in postmenopausal women related to fat distribution?