Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Background: Menopausal symptoms can affect women's health and wellbeing. It is important to develop interventions to alleviate symptoms, especially given recent evidence resulting in many women no longer choosing to take hormone replacement therapy. Exercise may prove useful in alleviating symptoms, although evidence on its effectiveness has been conflicting. Aim: To examine the association between exercise participation, body mass index (BMI), and hearth-related quality of life in women of menopausal-age. Design of study: Survey of women of menopausal age. Setting: West Midlands, England. Method: Women aged 46-55 years (n = 2399) registered with six general practices in the West Midlands were sent a questionnaire containing items relating to demographics, lifestyle factors, weight, height, exercise participation, menopausal bleeding patterns, and health-related quality of life (including vasomotor symptoms). Results: One thousand two hundred and six (50.3%) women replied. Women who were regularly active reported better health-related quality of life scores than women who were not regularly active (P<0.01 for all significant subscales). No difference in vasomotor symptoms was recorded for exercise status. Women who were obese reported significantly higher vasomotor symptom scores than women of normal weight (P<0.01). Women who were obese reported significantly higher somatic symptoms (P<0.001) and attractiveness concern scores (P<0.001) than women of normal weight or those who were overweight. Conclusion: The data suggest a positive association between somatic and psychological dimensions of health-related quality of life and participation in regular exercise. Women with BMI scores in the normal range reported lower vasomotor symptom scores and better health-related quality of life scores than heavier women. Further evidence from high-quality randomised controlled trials is required to assess whether exercise interventions are effective for management of menopausal symptoms. © British Journal of General Practice 2007.

Type

Journal article

Journal

British Journal of General Practice

Publication Date

01/02/2007

Volume

57

Pages

130 - 135