Abstract: Obese postmenopausal women are at high risk for the development of coronary heart disease. Changes in total cholesterol （TC）, triglyceride （TG）, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C）, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）, estradiol （E2）, follicule-stimulating hormone （FSH） and luteinizing hormone （LH） were determined in Chinese women, aged 45 to 70 years, with YSM （years since menopause） ranging from 0.5 to 21. According to body mass index （BMI）, the subjects were divided into obese group （84 cases, BMI≥24. aged 54.9 ±7.2, YSM 6.6±6.3） and non-obese group （82 cases, BMI＜24, aged 56.8±5.6, YSM 7.1±5.2）. The results were: 1. The obese group showed higher levels of TG, TC/HDL-C, lower levels of HDL-C, （P＜0.01） but no significant different values of TC, LDL-C （P＞0.05）. 2. Obese group had the same E2 level as nonobese group （P＞0.05）, but higher level of FSH and LH （P＜ 0.01）. 3. Plasma lipids bore relationship with E2 and BMI. BMI related positively with TG, TC/HDL-C, and negatively with HDL-C （P＜0.05）. E2 related positively with HDL-C, and negatively with TC, LDL-C, TC/HDL-C （P＜0.05）. This study exhibited that the increase of BMI and drop of E2 in postmenopausal women resulted in harmful effects on plasma lipids independently which contributed to the development of coronary heart disease.