Exercise improved QOL in postmenopausal women

Sedentary postmenopausal women who started an exercise program experienced dose-dependent improvements in quality of life that were independent of weight change.

The researchers studied the effects of 50%, 100% and 150% of current public health physical activity recommendations on quality of life in 430 sedentary postmenopausal women (BMI, 25-43) with elevated systolic blood pressure. They randomly assigned participants to a nonexercise control group (n=92) or one of three exercise groups: energy expenditure of 4 kcal/kg of body weight per week (n=147); 8 kcal/kg per week (n=96); or 12 kcal/kg per week (n=95).

Adherence to exercise for the 4 kcal/kg group was 95.4%, followed by 93.7% for the 12 kcal/kg group and 88.1% for the 8 kcal/kg group. Women in the 12 kcal/kg group spent the most time exercising (183.6 minutes per week) followed by the 8 kcal/kg group (138.3 minutes) and the 4 kcal/kg group (73.9 minutes).

Average weight loss was greatest in the 8 kcal/kg group (4.10 lb), was similar in the 4 kcal/kg and 12 kcal/kg (both 2.95 lb) groups and lowest in the nonexercise control group (2.07 lb).

“A dose-response effect of exercise on quality of life was noted for all aspects of quality of life except bodily pain. In addition, the 4-kcal/kg group had significantly improved general health perception, vitality and mental health compared with the control group,” the researchers wrote.

Arch Intern Med. 2009;169:269-278.