For many women the period of menopause is a time of physical and mental transition. Given the controversy over use of medications, the result of a new study showing that physical activity can improve quality of life and ease symptoms is a welcomed blessing.
The surprising aspect of the study is the fact that we found a significant association between changes in cardiorespiratory fitness and changes in menopausal symptoms," said lead author Steriani Elavsky, Ph.D., of Penn State University. "This is contrary to other studies, which previously reported no associations."
One hundred sixty-four sedentary menopausal women were randomly assigned to a walking program, a yoga program or a control group that did no additional exercise for four months.
The women who walked or took yoga classes reported a better quality of life and reduced negative effects of menopause compared to the no-exercise group. The women who walked or took yoga classes reported improvements in mood and menopause-related quality of life compared to the no-exercise group.
The women, whose average age was nearly 50, completed body composition and fitness assessments along with a battery of psychological tests at the beginning and end of the study, which appears in the April issue of the journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
Resource: http://www.tcmadvisory.com/2007/4-12/2007412171329.html
