Detrimental Changes in Health during Menopause: The Role of Physical Activity

Int J Sports Med
DOI: 10.1055/a-2003-9406

Ryan M. Hulteen

1   Kinesiology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, United States

,

Kara L. Marlatt

2   Clinical Science, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, United States

,

Timothy D. Allerton

3   Basic Science, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, United States

,

Dragana Lovre

4   School of Medicine, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, United States

5   Medicine, Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, New Orleans, United States

› Author Affiliations Funding Information National Institute of General Medical Sciences — http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100000057; P30 GM118430 Biomedical Laboratory Research and Development, VA Office of Research and Development — http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100007496; IK2 CX002225 National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases — http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100000062; K01 DK128227
› Further Information Also available at   SFX Search  Buy Article Permissions and Reprints Abstract

Midlife women experience changes in cardiometabolic, physical, and psychosocial health during menopause that negatively impacts their overall quality of life. Factors that contribute to these increases in cardiometabolic risk include weight gain as well as increases in fat mass (particularly abdominal adiposity), insulin resistance, and vascular dysfunction. Other deleterious changes in physical health (e. g. reduced sleep health, bone density, and balance) as well as changes in psychosocial health (e. g. mood, anxiety, and depression) often coincide and are linked to these increases in cardiometabolic risk. Physical activity and exercise are important lifestyle components that have been demonstrated to improve cardiometabolic, physical, and psychosocial health, yet physical activity and exercise is known to decline during perimenopause and into the postmenopausal years. In this narrative review, we summarize these changes in overall health during menopause as well as how declining physical activity contributes to these changes. Additionally, we discuss how incorporating physical activity and exercise during menopause can potentially ameliorate health declines. We conclude that there exists a significant, positive impact of physical activity on cardiometabolic, physical, and psychological health among midlife women, particularly if undertaken during the perimenopausal and postmenopausal years.

Key words menopause - physical activity - exercise - metabolism - adiposity - insulin resistance Publication History

Received: 29 July 2022

Accepted: 12 December 2022

Article published online:
17 February 2023

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