Impact of walking on eating behaviors and quality of life of premenopausal and early postmenopausal obese women

Statin withdrawal and health-related quality of life in a primary cardiovascular prevention cohort

PURPOSE

While some work has been done on Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in statin users, none has focused specifically on statin-associated muscle symptoms (SAMS) sufferers. The objective was to assess self-reported HRQoL, before and after statin withdrawal, in patients reporting SAMS. We hypothesized that the presence of SAMS associated with decreased self-reported physical and mental well-being.

METHODS

Patients (50 men/28 women [M/W], aged 49 ± 9 years [Mean ± SD]) in primary cardiovascular prevention were recruited into three cohorts: statin users with (SAMS, 29 M/18W) or without symptoms (No SAMS, 10 M/5W) and controls (11 M/5W). The Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) was used to assess HRQoL. All variables were measured before and after 2 months of statin withdrawal, and repeated measures analyses were used to verify withdrawal and group effects as well as their interaction.

RESULTS

SF-36 physical and mental component scores (respectively, PCS and MCS) were lower in the SAMS group compared with other groups (both p < 0.01). Statin withdrawal led to an increase in LDL cholesterol for statin users (+69.0%, p < 0.01) and an improvement in well-being in the SAMS group, other groups showing no change. A time x category interaction (p = 0.02) was seen for PCS and post hoc analyses showed that statin withdrawal improved PCS and MCS (respectively, +12.5% [ES 0.77] and +5.1% [ES 0.27], both p < 0.05) in the SAMS group.

CONCLUSION

Patients self-reporting SAMS showed improved HRQoL following drug withdrawal, but this was mirrored by a rise in LDL cholesterol. These findings should be considered by clinicians in the evaluation and follow-up of treatment with statins.

Psychological and social health outcomes of physical activity around menopause: A scoping review of research

OBJECTIVE

To chart peer-reviewed literature regarding the psychological and social health outcomes of physical activity (PA) around menopause in a systematic manner.

METHODS

Nine electronic databases and 10 core journals were searched using specific search strings to identify eligible articles. Manual checking of reference lists was also performed. The selection process was guided by the stages in PRISMA-ScR.

RESULTS

Eighty peer-reviewed articles representing 67 studies from 25 countries were included. All articles were published between 1994 and 2021. For all studies, surveys were the primary method of measuring psychological and social health outcomes, in cross-sectional studies (36 papers), intervention studies (33), longitudinal cohort studies (10) and one paper reporting a mixed-method study. The dataset comprised a total of 103,826 women, with an average age of 52.6 and a variety of menopausal states. Most of the studies involved primarily Caucasian, relatively healthy, married and employed participants. Nineteen psychological and social health outcomes were assessed, including psychological menopause symptoms (N = 34), quality of life (N = 33), depression (N = 30), anxiety (N = 11), mental wellbeing (N = 21), perceived stress (N = 9), satisfaction with life (N = 7) and self-esteem (N = 5).

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, the findings of these studies indicate a relatively evident positive impact of PA on the respective health outcomes, with only a few studies reporting no association. It is also noteworthy that most studies did not report any difference related to menopausal status. Future studies would benefit from, inter alia, a qualitative approach to lived experiences of psychological and social health outcomes of PA during the menopausal transition.

Can walking exercise programs improve health for women in menopause transition and postmenopausal? Findings from a scoping review

OBJECTIVE

Our goal was to explore the range and characteristics of published papers on therapeutic walking programs for menopausal women and to identify program features that resulted in successful outcomes including reduced symptoms and improved long-term wellness.

METHODS

We searched biomedical and exercise-related databases for articles published up to June 1, 2017, using keywords related to menopause and walking. Data were collected into EndNote X8 reference manager to identify and remove duplicates. The final selection included all articles that studied walking as a health intervention for women in menopause transition or postmenopausal.

RESULTS

A total of 3,244 papers were collected from the six databases. After removing duplicates and applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 96 articles were charted, including 77 different walking programs. Walking interventions ranged from 4 weeks to 3 years with an average weekly frequency of 3.8 ± 1.8 and were applied to a variety of symptoms and their biological markers and risk factors. Overall, 91% of the programs showed a beneficial outcome in at least one menopause-related medical issue. Information on menopause-specific symptoms, especially vasomotor symptoms and sleep problems, was scarce.

CONCLUSION

The scoping review highlights the growing interest in walking programs as therapies for menopause and related symptoms and provides evidence of their possible benefit as a wellness option for women in menopause and beyond. Further research would be recommended to establish the therapeutic value of walking programs for women with specific focus on typical menopause symptoms at different stages of menopause. : Video Summary:http://links.lww.com/MENO/A587.

The Effects of the Type of Exercise and Physical Activity on Eating Behavior and Body Composition in Overweight and Obese Subjects

The aim of this study was to examine whether a type of exercise favors better compliance with a prescribed diet, higher eating-related motivation, healthier diet composition or greater changes in body composition in overweight and obese subjects. One hundred and sixty-two (males n = 79), aged 18-50 years, were randomized into four intervention groups during 24 weeks: strength, endurance, combined strength + endurance and guideline-based physical activity; all in combination with a 25-30% caloric restriction diet. A food frequency questionnaire and a "3-day food and drink record" were applied pre- and post-intervention. Diet and exercise-related motivation levels were evaluated with a questionnaire developed for this study. Body composition was assessed by DXA and habitual physical activity was measured by accelerometry. Body weight, body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage decreased and lean body mass increased after the intervention, without differences by groups. No interactions were observed between intervention groups and time; all showing a decreased in energy intake (p < 0.001). Carbohydrate and protein intakes increased, and fat intake decreased from pre- to post-intervention without significant interactions with intervention groups, BMI category or gender (p < 0.001). Diet-related motivation showed a tendency to increase from pre- to post-intervention (70.0 ± 0.5 vs 71.0 ± 0.6, p = 0.053), without significant interactions with intervention groups, BMI or gender. Regarding motivation for exercise, gender x time interactions were observed (F(1,146) = 7.452, p = 0.007): Women increased their motivation after the intervention (pre: 17.6 ± 0.3, post: 18.2 ± 0.3), while men maintained it. These findings suggest that there are no substantial effects of exercise type on energy intake, macronutrient selection or body composition changes. After a six-month weight loss program, individuals did not reduce their motivation related to diet or exercise, especially women. Individuals who initiate a long-term exercise program do not increase their energy intake in a compensatory fashion, if diet advices are included.

Physical activity and perceptions of stress during the menopause transition: A longitudinal study

The transition to menopause is a critical period of significant biopsychosocial change. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of the transition to menopause and volume of physical activity on levels of perceived stress over five years in 102 healthy middle-aged women. Questionnaire and accelerometer data were analyzed using linear mixed models. Adjusting for age and body mass index, there were no significant effects of menopause status or time on perceived stress. Independent of menopause status, minutes per week of vigorous activity was associated with lower perceived stress in years 1 and 2 of the study.

EXERCÍCIO FÍSICO COMO TRATAMENTO NÃO FARMACOLÓGICO PARA A MELHORA DA SAÚDE PÓS-MENOPAUSA

RESUMO O período da pós-menopausa é caracterizado por 12 meses consecutivos de amenorreia. Além de afetar o sistema reprodutivo e a produção de hormônios sexuais, principalmente o estrógeno, essas mulheres apresentam aumento da gordura corporal total, principalmente na região central, o que está relacionado com o desenvolvimento de diversas doenças crônicas, como dislipidemia, aterosclerose e resistência à insulina. Dessa forma, diferentes programas de exercício físico, aeróbico, resistido ou combinado (aeróbico e resistido em uma mesma sessão) podem ser uma forma interessante de tratamento não farmacológico para a prevenção e melhora dos desfechos. Entretanto, as adaptações promovidas pelos diferentes programas de exercício sobre a composição corporal, perfil lipídico e glicêmico não estão claras na literatura e precisam ser elucidadas. Assim sendo, esta revisão tem como objetivo discutir as diferentes adaptações do treinamento aeróbico, resistido e combinado na composição corporal, perfil lipídico e glicêmico de mulheres na pós-menopausa.

[Dietary patterns in menopausal women receiving outpatient care in Southern Brazil]

The scope of this paper is to identify dietary patterns and the relationship with menopausal status. It involved a cross-sectional study with 646 women in outpatient care in southern Brazil. Dietary intake was assessed by a frequency questionnaire and five dietary patterns were identified by main component analysis. The menopausal status was classified as premenopausal, perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Five dietary patterns were identified: fruit and vegetables; Brazilian fare (rice, beans and milk); snacks (cake, burgers, pizza and sweetbread); health diet (fish, fruit juice, bread and vegetable soup), and regional (typical food in the Serra Gaucha, like red meat, pasta and yams). After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, there was no significant association between menopausal status and dietary patterns. Only age, education and income were associated with dietary patterns. Five dietary patterns that described the food consumption of the population studied were identified, which are similar to those indicated as ideal for the Brazilian population. The findings reveal that the dietary pattern of women in menopause are significantly influenced by age, education and income but are not influenced by the menopausal status per se.

Análise comparativa da qualidade de vida de adultos e idosos envolvidos com a prática regular de atividade física

OBJETIVO: Identificar diferenças na qualidade de vida de adultos e idosos, ambos praticantes de atividade física. MÉTODOS: Foram estudados 117 sujeitos praticantes de atividade física, com idade entre 40 e 80 anos. Para a caracterização da amostra, foram analisadas as variáveis idade, sexo, renda familiar e escolaridade. Para a comparação entre os grupos de adultos e idosos, foram analisadas as variáveis peso, estatura, índice de massa corporal, domínios e facetas da qualidade de vida (Whoqol-Bref). O teste de Kolmogorov-Smirnov foi aplicado para análise da normalidade e o teste de Mann-Whitney, para a comparação de medidas contínuas ou ordenáveis entre dois grupos independentes; adotou-se valor de p<0,05. RESULTADOS: Foram encontradas diferenças significantes para os domínios psicológico, relações sociais e qualidade de vida geral, sendo que os idosos apresentaram os maiores valores médios. CONCLUSÃO: Idosos ativos, comparados aos adultos ativos, percebem melhor qualidade de vida nos aspectos da vida ativa, do desempenho das atividades da vida diária, da aceitação da aparência física, satisfação financeira e disponibilidade de tempo para as atividades de lazer.

How to evaluate quality of life in overweight and obese women during climacterium?

Objective: identifying the instruments used to measure quality of life during menopausal transition and post-menopause in women with obesity or overweight. Methods: a systematic search using the Embase, Pubmed and Cochrane databases, and the following key-words: menopause/climacteric, quality of life, overweight/obesity. Nineteen papers that fulfilled the including criteria were found. Results: eighteen studies using generic health questionnaires (global quality of life) were identified, six of them were specific for menopause and one specific for obesity. Eleven studies used generic questionnaires, while only eight questionnaires were specific for menopause. Conclusion: there was no consensus in the literature about the use of quality of life questionnaires in women with overweight and obesity in climacterium, which makes de comparison and reproducibility of the results difficult. This is an alert about the need for standardization to better evaluate this specific population.

Effects of martial arts exercise on body composition, serum biomarkers and quality of life in overweight/obese premenopausal women: a pilot study

Various exercise interventions have been shown to benefit weight control and general health in different populations. However, very few studies have been conducted on martial arts exercise (MAE). The objective of this pilot study is to evaluate the efficacy of 12 weeks of MAE intervention on body composition, serum biomarkers and quality of life (QOL) in overweight/obese premenopausal women. We found that subjects in the MAE group did not lose body weight, while they significantly decreased fat-free mass and muscle mass as compared to those in the control group, who demonstrated an increase in these parameters. The MAE group demonstrated an increase in serum IGF-I concentration, but no change in others. MAE may be a feasible and effective approach to improve body composition and QOL in overweight/obese premenopausal women. Our study underscores the need for further studies using larger samples to establish possible benefits of MAE in various populations.

The effects of resistance training on cardiovascular disease risk factors in postmenopausal women: a randomized-controlled trial

Our aim was to determine the effects of resistance training on cardiovascular risk factors in postmenopausal women. Forty-five women were included in the study. Resistance exercises were done with an intensity of 60% of 1-Repetition Maximum, for 12 weeks. Heart rate, blood pressure, estimated peak VO(2), lipid profiles, and homocysteine levels were evaluated. There were significant time and group interactions for body mass index (p = .02), heart rate (p = .04), systolic blood pressure (p = .03), estimated mean peak VO(2) (p = .00), and total cholesterol (p = .00), but there were no interactions with other evaluated parameters. Resistance training has beneficial effects on particular cardiovascular risk factors in postmenopausal women.

Effect of aerobic training on hot flushes and quality of life--a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

To estimate whether aerobic training has an effect on frequency of hot flushes or quality of life.

DESIGN

A randomized controlled trial.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Symptomatic, sedentary women (n = 176), 43-63 years, no current use of hormone therapy.

INTERVENTION

Unsupervised aerobic training for 50 minutes four times per week during 6 months.

OUTCOMES

Hot flushes as measured with Women's Health Questionnaire (WHQ) and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL, SF-36), daily reported hot flushes on phone-based diary, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and body composition.

RESULTS

Intervention group had larger decrease in the frequency of night-time hot flushes based on phone diary (P for month × group = 0.012), but not on WHQ scale. Intervention group had less depressed mood (P = 0.01) than control women according to change in WHQ score. Changes in WHQ score in depressed mood (P = 0.03) and menstrual symptoms (P = 0.01) in the intervention group were significantly dependent on frequency of training sessions. HRQoL was improved among the intervention group women in physical functioning (P = 0.049) and physical role limitation (P = 0.017). CRF improved (P = 0.008), and lean muscle mass increased (P = 0.046) significantly in the intervention group as compared to controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Aerobic training may decrease the frequency of hot flushes and improve quality of life among slightly overweight women.