Women of menopausal age who exercise regularly enjoy a better quality of life than those who do not, according to a new study published in the British Journal of General Practice.

The study Exercise participation, body mass index, and health-related quality of life in women of menopausal age also found that obese women suffer significantly more menopausal symptoms than those of normal weight.

Because of changes in endogenous hormone levels, a high proportion of middle-aged women going through the menopause will experience hot flushes and night sweats. Interventions that help women through this phase of their lives are important for relieving these symptoms.

Exercise is thought to play an important role as an alternative to HRT as it is believed to be useful in alleviating the types of symptoms that are common during the menopause, but so far evidence on its effectiveness has been conflicting.*

This study aimed to examine the association between exercise, weight, hot flushes and night sweats and emotional and physical health issues including depression, anxiety, sleep problems, sexual behaviour and attractiveness in women aged 46-55 years.

Over 1,200 women from six general practices in the West Midlands anonymously answered questions relating lifestyle factors, weight, height, exercise participation, menopausal bleeding patterns and health-related quality of life.

Approximately half the sample was considered overweight or obese and almost 60 per cent were categorised as not regularly active with 40 per cent regularly active. Only 11.8 per cent reported using HRT.

The study concluded that women who were regularly active reported better health-related quality of life than their less active counterparts.  Exercise did not significantly affect the severity of hot flushes/night sweats, although women considered obese were found to suffer more of these symptoms than those of normal weight.

Overall, it highlighted a need for further trials that examine the effects of exercise on menopausal symptoms.

Study author Dr Amanda Daley at the University of Birmingham, says: “Although exercise was not associated with a reduction in hot flushes and night sweats, it was associated with fewer psychological and psychosomatic health problems which can affect women of menopausal age. 

“In addition, heavier women were more likely to experience hot flushes and night sweats and it may be that exercise can help women reduce their weight.

“The role of alternatives to HRT may become more critical in the future because large numbers of women are no longer choosing to use HRT, and so it is imperative that further research is conducted into the role of exercise in alleviating menopausal symptoms.”

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For more information please contact Lorna Fletcher, RCGP Press Office, 020 7344 3136 / lfletcher@rcgp.org.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS

• The study was conducted by Amanda Daley, Christine MacArthur, Helen Stokes-Lampard, Richard McManus and Sue Wilson of the University of Birmingham, and Nanette Mutrie of Strathclyde University, Glasgow
• * Daley AJ, MacArthur C, McManus et al. Factors associated with the use of complementary medicine and non-pharmacological interventions in symptomatic menopausal women.  Climacteric 2006; 9:336-346.

Newton K, Buist DS, Keenan NL et al. Use of alternative therapies for menopause symptoms: results of a population-based survey (Obstet Gynecol 2002)

Copies of the study are available from the RCGP press office press@rcgp.org.uk