Effect of exercise on quality of life among menopausal women

Abstract

Menopause is one of the most important phases of a woman's life. Therefore, it is of interest to conduct a randomized-controlled trial approach and three hundred post-menopausal volunteers were split into two groups randomly and quality of life was evaluated using the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP). The exercise group engaged in a program consisting of submaximal weight-bearing and breathing exercises for eight weeks, five times a week. The quality of life in the two groups was compared after eight weeks. The NHP's quality of life improved in the exercise group, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). Thus, an 8-week regimen of consistent, supervised exercise could enhance the quality of life for post-menopausal women.

Keywords: Weight bearing exercise; breathing exercise; menopause; quality of life.