A meta-analysis of 101 trials with 5,697 postmenopausal women found aerobic training reduced fat mass and resistance training increased muscle mass, with combined training offering both benefits.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 5,697 participants pooled · 2023PostmenopausalCited 28 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 39 RCTs in postmenopausal women found exercise training improved waist circumference, triglycerides, HDL, glucose, and blood pressure, with combined training most effective.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2,132 participants pooled · 2023PostmenopausalCited 33 timesPubMed
A review of 28 randomised trials in postmenopausal women aged 50 to 65 found walking combined with resistance training could preserve weight and bone density and increase muscle strength.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 2,646 participants pooled · 2004Early postmenopausalCited 219 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 31 trials in middle-aged women found combined aerobic and resistance exercise reduced waist circumference and blood pressure, while aerobic alone did not reduce body weight and resistance alone had no significant effect.
Mixed resultsMeta-analysis · 2,202 participants pooled · 2021Midlife womenCited 7 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 23 trials in 1001 postmenopausal women found concurrent aerobic and resistance training modestly improved body composition and metabolic markers, with no significant change in inflammation markers.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 1,001 participants pooled · 2026PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
A network meta-analysis of 142 trials in postmenopausal women found combined training, aerobic exercise, resistance training and mind-body exercise each improved different metabolic syndrome risk factors.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 7,967 participants pooled · 2025PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
A review found that 12 to 16 weeks of recreational football training in women aged 18 to 65 improved aerobic fitness, blood pressure, fat loss, lipid profile and bone mineralisation.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 2018Midlife womenCited 45 timesPubMed
In obese postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes, 16 weeks of aerobic training combined with resistance training improved glucose disposal more than aerobic exercise alone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 28 women · 16 weeks · 2003PostmenopausalCited 307 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women on a 12 week calorie restricted diet with added aerobic and resistance exercise lost more fat and preserved lean mass compared to diet alone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 118 women · 12 weeks · 1993PostmenopausalCited 155 timesPubMed
In obese postmenopausal breast cancer survivors, 16 weeks of combined aerobic and resistance exercise reduced adipose tissue inflammatory markers and improved body composition versus controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 20 women · 16 weeks · 2018PostmenopausalCited 99 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal breast cancer survivors on aromatase inhibitors did 12 months of combined aerobic and resistance exercise, which increased lean mass and lowered body fat and BMI versus usual care; bone density did not differ.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 121 women · 52 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 67 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women aged around 68 did 18 months of twice-weekly aerobic and strength training with or without vibration; lean mass improved and vibration slightly favored leg strength gains.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 151 women · 78 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 65 timesPubMed
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 20 postmenopausal women with hypertension, 12 weeks of combined resistance and aerobic exercise improved blood pressure, arterial stiffness, fitness and body composition versus no exercise.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 20 women · 12 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 78 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women did 6 months of resistance and aerobic exercise with or without soy isoflavones; exercise reduced fat mass and increased lean mass, with no added benefit from isoflavones.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 100 women · 26 weeks · 2011PostmenopausalCited 65 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 18 RCTs found combined aerobic and resistance training reduced visceral and subcutaneous fat in people with overweight or obesity, with authors noting relevance for postmenopausal women.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2026Midlife womenPubMed
A meta-analysis of 20 randomized trials in postmenopausal women found exercise based rehabilitation reduced vasomotor symptoms but showed no significant pooled effect on BMI, blood pressure, or physical performance.
No difference foundMeta-analysis · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
Over 14 weeks, postmenopausal women adding whole-body electromyostimulation to their usual endurance and strength training maintained resting metabolic rate and gained more strength than controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 30 women · 14 weeks · 2010PostmenopausalCited 71 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women who did 12 months of resistance and weight-bearing aerobic exercise gained lean mass and lost leg fat, regardless of hormone therapy use or changes in hormone levels.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 94 women · 52 weeks · 2003PostmenopausalCited 63 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with heart disease followed a lifestyle program combining diet, exercise and stress management for 24 months, reporting improved body mass and quality of life versus usual care.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 28 women · 104 weeks · 2000PostmenopausalCited 75 timesPubMed
In overweight postmenopausal women, 12 weeks of HIIT or HIIT plus resistance training reduced abdominal and visceral fat more than moderate-intensity continuous training.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 27 women · 12 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 47 timesPubMed
In obese postmenopausal women, both aerobic and combined aerobic plus strength training reduced body fat and increased fat-free mass, with combined training producing a greater fat percentage reduction.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 65 women · 2016PostmenopausalCited 41 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women followed a calorie restricted diet with or without combined aerobic and anaerobic exercise for 12 weeks, and diet reduced clotting-related blood markers with no added effect from exercise.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 121 women · 12 weeks · 1996PostmenopausalCited 52 timesPubMed
Sedentary postmenopausal women did a 12-month combined aerobic and strength program; weight did not change but body fat and waist circumference decreased and lean mass increased versus controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 189 women · 52 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 34 timesPubMed
In sedentary postmenopausal women, 12 weeks of combined endurance and resistance training improved body composition, performance and insulin sensitivity, with no added benefit from DHEA supplementation.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 31 women · 12 weeks · 2008PostmenopausalCited 49 timesPubMed
Twenty nine postmenopausal breast cancer survivors did 15 weeks of combined walking and resistance training, and the exercise group showed improved fitness, blood pressure, weight, insulin, glucose and cholesterol measures.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 29 women · 15 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 45 timesPubMed
Obese, sedentary postmenopausal women underwent a 6-month lifestyle change program with increased physical activity and reported reduced weight, fat mass, blood pressure, and cholesterol.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 44 women · 26 weeks · 2004PostmenopausalCited 48 timesPubMed
Obese postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of HIIT or combined training three times weekly, and HIIT reduced visceral fat more and increased interleukin-6 compared to combined training.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 26 women · 12 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 33 timesPubMed
Healthy women aged 50 to 65 did 12 weeks of combined aerobic plus resistance training or aerobic training alone, and combined training improved growth hormone, body fat, glucose and blood pressure more.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 22 women · 12 weeks · 2010Midlife womenCited 40 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes did 12 weeks of combined aerobic and resistance exercise and showed reduced body fat, lower insulin resistance, and increased muscle mass.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 45 women · 12 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 27 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did exercise plus Mediterranean diet, with or without soy isoflavones, for 24 months; the soy group showed greater drops in fat mass, glucose, insulin and inflammation markers.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 65 women · 104 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 30 timesPubMed
Obese postmenopausal women did 6 months of mixed exercise training with or without phytoestrogens, and both groups had reduced CRP and leptin, with no added benefit from phytoestrogens.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 52 women · 26 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 28 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 24 weeks of whole-body vibration or multicomponent training; both reduced total fat mass and increased knee and ankle strength, with no change in bone density.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 38 women · 24 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 26 timesPubMed
35 sedentary postmenopausal women with obesity did 12 weeks of endurance or concurrent training; both reduced fat mass, with myokine changes differing by exercise type but not menopause status.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 35 women · 12 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 23 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
Early postmenopausal women did a 12 month periodized bone and endurance exercise program and showed less lumbar spine bone loss than a low-intensity wellness control group.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 85 women · 52 weeks · 2013Early postmenopausalCited 23 timesPubMed
Over 12 weeks, obese postmenopausal women doing endurance or concurrent aerobic and resistance training reduced fat mass, with concurrent training also increasing lean mass and differing effects on sex hormones like testosterone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 35 women · 12 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 22 timesPubMed
Overweight or obese postmenopausal women did 6 months of mixed exercise with isoflavone supplement or placebo; the isoflavone group showed greater reductions in fat mass and CRP inflammation than exercise alone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 34 women · 26 weeks · 2014PostmenopausalCited 24 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of whole body vibration or multi-component training, with both groups showing similar gains in knee and ankle strength and body composition changes.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 38 women · 12 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 22 timesPubMed
In middle-aged obese women, 12 weeks of circuit exercise combining aerobic and resistance training reduced body weight, body fat and insulin resistance compared to no significant change in controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 26 women · 12 weeks · 2018Midlife womenCited 21 timesPubMed
In obese postmenopausal women over 12 weeks, both HIIT and combined training reduced body fat and increased leg lean mass, but only combined training increased muscle strength and fast walking speed.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 24 women · 12 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 15 timesPubMed
After 6 months of combined aerobic and resistance exercise, postmenopausal women taking phytoestrogens showed greater reductions in weight, fat mass and blood pressure than those on placebo.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 21 women · 26 weeks · 2010PostmenopausalCited 17 timesPubMed
Obese middle-aged women did 8 weeks of combined aerobic and resistance exercise at moderate or vigorous intensity and researchers found reduced body weight, body fat, and triglycerides in both groups.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 16 women · 8 weeks · 2023Midlife womenCited 13 timesPubMed
Inactive postmenopausal women did recreational team handball training for 36 weeks and researchers reported improved fitness, knee strength, lumbar spine bone density, and lipid markers.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 45 women · 36 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed
In 62 menopausal women, 12 weeks of resistance and endurance circuit training combined with time-restricted eating reduced BMI, fat mass, glucose and insulin more than training alone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 62 women · 12 weeks · 2024Midlife womenCited 9 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women who completed a 12-month multi-component exercise program had improved fat mass, skeletal muscle mass and fat-free mass compared with non-exercising controls, regardless of menopause characteristics.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 158 women · 52 weeks · 2014PostmenopausalCited 9 timesPubMed
After a 12 month moderate to vigorous exercise program, postmenopausal women had lower body mass index and lower foot plantar pressures than a control group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 121 women · 52 weeks · 2010PostmenopausalCited 9 timesPubMed
Sedentary postmenopausal women did 10 weeks of aerobic and strength training with or without whole-body electromyostimulation; the stimulation group showed greater power and velocity gains but little effect on body composition.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 34 women · 10 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 9 timesPubMed
In 30 postmenopausal women doing 10 weeks of combined aerobic and resistance exercise, adding isoflavone supplementation did not change body composition phase angle compared to placebo.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 30 women · 10 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 9 timesPubMed
In older women with metabolic syndrome, 16 weeks of combined aerobic and resistance training improved fitness and strength but did not change body composition, blood pressure or lipid and glucose profiles.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 25 women · 16 weeks · 2022Midlife womenCited 8 timesPubMed
In 25 hypertensive women followed 9 years through menopause, soccer-based exercise training reduced blood pressure, body fat, cholesterol, and kept fasting glucose stable compared to non-exercising controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 25 women · 468 weeks · 2024Midlife womenCited 7 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal women, 12 months of step, weight training and flexibility exercise reduced fat mass and visceral fat gain and preserved skeletal muscle mass compared with controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 169 women · 52 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 6 timesPubMed
Previously sedentary postmenopausal women aged 45 to 64 who completed a 20-week exercise plus health promotion program reported improved quality of life, mental well-being, weight, fitness and flexibility versus controls, sustained to 12 months.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 20 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 16 timesPubMed
Inactive postmenopausal women prescribed 300 versus 150 minutes per week of exercise for a year showed no difference in total body fat at 24 months, though some body composition measures differed slightly.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 334 women · 104 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 4 timesPubMed
Twenty-six obese middle-aged women with prehypertension did 6 weeks of resistance plus moderate or high-intensity aerobic training; both groups improved body composition, blood pressure, and fitness, with resistance plus HIIT improving lipids more.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 26 women · 6 weeks · 2025Midlife womenCited 6 timesPubMed
Previously sedentary postmenopausal women who completed a supervised 20-week multicomponent exercise program showed improved quality of life, mental well-being, weight, fitness and flexibility, maintained through 12-month follow-up.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 20 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 15 timesPubMed
In 26 postmenopausal women, 8 weeks of combined exercise with ursolic acid supplementation raised handgrip strength more than exercise with placebo, but waist circumference and other outcomes did not differ.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 26 women · 8 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 6 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of indoor or outdoor training three times weekly, and indoor training improved body composition and fitness more while outdoor training improved blood pressure, strength and adherence.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 23 women · 12 weeks · 2016PostmenopausalCited 7 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women did a 6-month weight loss program with higher-protein diet with or without supervised multicomponent exercise; exercise groups preserved strength and physical function better than diet alone.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 72 women · 26 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 4 timesPubMed
106 obese postmenopausal women did a 3 month aerobic and anaerobic exercise program and reported improved quality of life and reduced weight and fat mass versus a diet-advice control group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 106 women · 12 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
Obese middle-aged women who did combined aerobic and resistance training lost more abdominal subcutaneous and visceral fat and gained more lean mass than those doing aerobic training alone.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 30 women · 2003Midlife womenCited 73 timesPubMed
In 60 postmenopausal women, 16 weeks of aerobic or combined aerobic plus strength training improved body composition and metabolic markers, but leg lean mass returned to pre-training levels after 6 months of detraining.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 60 women · 16 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 27 timesPubMed
In 25 physically active postmenopausal women doing 12 weeks of multicomponent training, fasted versus fed exercise did not differ in body composition, blood pressure or fitness changes.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 25 women · 12 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
Obese postmenopausal women did 20 weeks of combined aerobic and resistance training and showed reduced body fat, increased lean mass, and reduced TNF-alpha compared with non-exercisers.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 70 women · 20 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 19 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal breast cancer survivors who did 15 weeks of combined walking and resistance training improved aerobic capacity, resting heart rate, body weight and BMI, with no change in blood pressure.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 29 women · 15 weeks · 2010PostmenopausalCited 25 timesPubMed
Middle-aged women with subclinical hypothyroidism or obesity did 12 weeks of combined resistance and aerobic training, improving body fat, fitness and blood pressure but not thyroid hormones or lipids.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 40 women · 12 weeks · 2019Midlife womenCited 15 timesPubMed
Obese middle-aged women did 12 weeks of combined resistance and aerobic training, which lowered body fat, blood pressure, glucose, triglycerides, and visfatin versus controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 20 women · 12 weeks · 2011Midlife womenCited 21 timesPubMed
Early postmenopausal women did high impact aerobic, jumping and resistance exercise for 50 months, maintaining spine bone density and improving cholesterol, body fat and strength versus non-training controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 68 women · 217 weeks · 2007Early postmenopausalCited 18 timesPubMed
In 66 early postmenopausal women, eight weeks of combined aerobic and resistance training, delivered in person or via app, reduced menopausal symptoms, fatigue, and improved sleep versus education alone.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 66 women · 8 weeks · 2026Early postmenopausalPubMed
Over nine months of combined aerobic and resistance training, postmenopausal breast cancer survivors on aromatase inhibitors showed similar strength, fitness, and body fat improvements to healthy postmenopausal women.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 42 women · 39 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 9 timesPubMed
In 16 hypertensive postmenopausal women, 12 weeks of combined circuit exercise reduced arterial stiffness, body weight and total cholesterol compared with controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 16 women · 12 weeks · 2018PostmenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women did combined aerobic and anaerobic exercise plus diet for 12 weeks and lost more fat with preserved lean mass versus diet alone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 118 women · 12 weeks · 1994PostmenopausalPubMed
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
In a 3 month combined aerobic and strength training program, obese and lean premenopausal middle-aged women improved similarly across most fitness, strength and balance measures, with high enjoyment in both groups.
Direction not statedControlled trial · 72 women · 12 weeks · 2023OtherCited 4 timesPubMed
In middle-aged women with abdominal obesity, 12 weeks of combined aerobic and resistance training reduced waist circumference, cholesterol, triglycerides and carotid artery thickness and improved fitness versus controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 40 women · 12 weeks · 2021Midlife womenCited 4 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal women, combined strength and aerobic training reduced fat mass more than functional training, while functional training alone reduced LDL cholesterol.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 52 women · 2017PostmenopausalCited 4 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of combined strength and endurance training with or without protein and carbohydrate supplementation, and researchers found increased strength with no added benefit from supplementation.
Mixed resultsControlled trial · 51 women · 12 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 3 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
Sedentary overweight to obese postmenopausal women did 6 months of combined endurance and resistance training; gains in muscle mass index correlated with worsening insulin resistance.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 48 women · 26 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 14 timesPubMed
An 18-week circuit hydraulic weight interval training program in inactive pre- and postmenopausal women reduced body fat and increased muscle mass, with postmenopausal women needing longer training to see muscle gains.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 100 women · 18 weeks · 2025Midlife womenPubMed
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
Postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes did combined strength and aerobic training for 9 months, then stopped for 3 months, then resumed, with glucose control and fitness improving with training and worsening during detraining.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 13 women · 39 weeks · 2014PostmenopausalCited 17 timesPubMed
Twelve middle-aged women did resistance and aerobic training 3 times weekly for 14 weeks and increased strength and lean tissue, with a small drop in body fat percentage.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 12 women · 14 weeks · 2006Midlife womenCited 12 timesPubMed
A review reported that combined diet and aerobic plus strength exercise programmes showed promise for weight control and improved quality of life in breast cancer survivors.
Reported an improvementOther · 2012Midlife womenCited 162 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 16 weeks of combined strength and aerobic training; both positive and negative HDL responders lost body fat, but only positive responders showed HDL cholesterol gains.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 38 women · 16 weeks · 2018PostmenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
Twenty-nine postmenopausal women did 24 weeks of alternating aerobic and resistance training, which increased limb bone density and circulating irisin while waist circumference decreased.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 29 women · 24 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 4 timesPubMed
Obese postmenopausal women did a 10 week mixed Nordic walking and strength training program and showed improved fitness, strength, waist to hip ratio and cholesterol levels.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 10 weeks · 2014PostmenopausalCited 8 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women did a year of combined aerobic and resistance training; those who did not lose fat mass still gained similar strength, fitness, and flexibility as those who did.
Mixed resultsBefore-and-after study · 31 women · 52 weeks · 2016PostmenopausalCited 3 timesPubMed
Middle-aged Korean women over 40 did 12 weeks of combined aerobic and resistance exercise and showed significant improvements in body composition, blood pressure, fitness and metabolic measures overall.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 185 women · 12 weeks · 2014Midlife womenPubMed
22 menopausal women completed a 12-week workplace exercise programme of body conditioning, Zumba Gold, Pilates and HIIT, with authors reporting favourable changes in body fat, fitness, menopause symptoms and mental health.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 22 women · 12 weeks · 2026Midlife womenPubMed