Does balance and functional training affect body fat and weight in menopause? What 9 studies found

Women averaging 69 years did an 18 month multipurpose exercise program and researchers reported increased lean mass and strength and reduced body fat compared to an active control group.

Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 246 women · 78 weeks · 2010Midlife womenCited 56 timesPubMed

In a 16-week RCT, postmenopausal women doing circuit-style functional training with elastic bands and walking reduced body fat and improved strength, coordination, agility and cholesterol levels versus controls.

Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 50 women · 16 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 24 timesPubMed

Postmenopausal women did 8 weeks of functional circuit training combining strength, agility and walking, and showed reduced body fat and weight compared with a non-exercising control group.

Reported an improvementControlled trial · 38 women · 8 weeks · 2014PostmenopausalCited 6 timesPubMed

Sedentary women aged 40 to 60 did a 26 week multicomponent exercise program; postmenopausal women showed greater blood pressure and waist reductions, premenopausal women showed greater lipid and glucose improvements.

Reported an improvementControlled trial · 38 women · 26 weeks · 2025Midlife womenCited 3 timesPubMed

Postmenopausal women did 19 weeks of community-based high- and odd-impact, resistance and balance training and showed reduced body fat and modest bone density gains but no change in strength or balance.

Reported an improvementControlled trial · 22 women · 19 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed

Postmenopausal women did a 16 week outdoor exercise program combining cardio, strength, balance and flexibility; the exercise group reduced fat mass and visceral fat more than controls, but sleep duration and quality did not improve.

Reported an improvementControlled trial · 75 women · 16 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalPubMed

This narrative review summarized medical literature finding that regular exercise in midlife and postmenopausal women is linked with reduced obesity, cancer, dementia, mood symptoms, and osteoporosis.

Reported an improvementOther · 2015Midlife womenCited 56 timesPubMed

In 38 postmenopausal women with low bone density, 8 months of weekly OsteoStrong sessions did not improve hip or spine bone density, though some physical function measures improved.

Direction not statedBefore-and-after study · 38 women · 32 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed

A trial protocol will compare 12 weeks of urban dance versus functional fitness against a control group for physical and psychological effects in postmenopausal women aged 40 to 59.

Direction not statedOther · 12 weeks · 2025Early postmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed