A health food chain has designed a new consultation service to help women of colour navigate the menopause.

Holland & Barrett (H&B) will now offer a free, multi-language online consultation with specially trained advisors who can provide guidance in languages such as Hindi, Urdu, Gujarati and Punjabi.

It comes after new research revealed 51 per cent of women from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds believe current advice is not representative of their experiences.

Cross-cultural research shows a person’s race and cultural background may impact how a woman may feel about menopause, the severity of their symptoms, when the symptoms might start, and even how long they will last. 

Lina Chan, director of women’s health at H&B, said: “While a lot of work has taken place to break the taboo surrounding menopause, customers have told us there’s still much more to do to represent every woman’s experience.” 

Menopause expert, Meera Bhogal, said: “In the South Asian community, women’s health isn’t talked about generally, so when I started experiencing perimenopausal symptoms at 40, I had no clue what was happening to me.

"I wish I had been equipped with the right information. I really want to help remove the stigma of the menopause, open up conversations and help women from all communities.”