Moderate to high levels of exercise are associated with higher resting energy expenditure in community-dwelling postmenopausal women

Socioecological factors influencing physical activity engagement for women across the menopausal transition: a systematic review

IMPORTANCE

Physical activity during menopause can be effective in reducing the physiological changes associated with reproductive aging that increase risks for noncommunicable diseases, yet many women do not meet the recommendations for physical activity.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to synthesize factors influencing physical activity for women across menopausal transition phases using a socioecological approach.

EVIDENCE REVIEW

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis was used to systematically search 10 databases between 2001 and 2021. A comprehensive search strategy was used to identify studies on physical activity of women in various stages of menopause. A socioecological model was used to categorize the reported barriers and enablers.

FINDINGS

Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings highlight several intrapersonal barriers such as existing health complaints versus enablers such as awareness of the health benefits of physical activity during menopause. Ensuring women's safety, preventing injury, and enhancing exercise self-efficacy were important components of programs. Social support was also an important enabler of women's engagement in activities.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Several barriers and enablers were identified and can inform practitioners and future interventions to encourage physical activity among women in various stages of menopause. For instance, when encouraging physical activity during menopause, practitioners should consider other health complaints, safety, and injury prevention while discussing the benefits of physical activity related to managing menopausal symptoms. There was a lack of theoretically informed studies exploring the barriers and enablers to physical activity for women in various stages of menopause; thus, research designs may not have fully accounted for influences. Future research that combines socioecological and individual theories of behavior is needed to comprehensively understand the complexity of physical activity among women across the menopausal transition.

Dose-Response Relationship of Resistance Training on Metabolic Phenotypes, Body Composition and Lipid Profile in Menopausal Women

The relationship between volume training of resistance training (RT), body composition and cardiometabolic profile in menopausal women is poorly understand. This study aimed to evaluate the dose−response relationship of RT on lipid profile, body composition and metabolic phenotypes in menopausal women. A total of 31 women were categorized according to different volume of RT. Body composition was evaluated by DEXA and the cardiometabolic risk by metabolic phenotypes and lipid profile. There was a higher frequency of metabolically unhealthy phenotype in women who practiced RT for less than two years and had a weekly frequency lower than three days a week (p > 0.05). Women with more than two years and a higher weekly frequency of RT had lower trunk fat mass than their counterparties (15.33 ± 7.56 versus 10.57 ± 4.87, p = 0.04; 16.31 ± 7.46 versus 10.98 ± 5.49, p = 0.03, respectively). There was an association between HDL-c and time of RT in years. A moderate correlation was identified between variables of body adiposity, time in years and weekly frequency of RT. The present study concludes that more time in years and weekly frequency of RT practice are associated with lower body adiposity in menopausal women, the first also being associated with HDL-c.

Energy Flux and its Role in Obesity and Metabolic Disease

In order to reverse the global obesity pandemic, there is a need for an enhanced understanding of the energy dynamics that underlie the problem. To maintain a stable body weight, energy intake must, over time, match or equal energy expenditure, a concept known as energy balance. Obesity results from a positive state of energy balance (i.e. when energy intake exceeds energy expenditure). However, recent research suggests that strategies to combat obesity should focus on energy flux (the amount of calories going through a system), rather than energy balance alone. In other words, it is easier to maintain weight loss at higher levels of physical activity. Recent findings suggest that a high energy flux, maintained by increasing energy expenditure, can improve an individual's metabolic profile without changing weight. Further understanding of this concept may help in the design of interventions to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.