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 network meta-analysis of 38 trials in postmenopausal women found water exercise best improved blood pressure and total cholesterol, combined training improved triglycerides and HDL, and resistance training improved LDL.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 1,407 participants pooled · 2022PostmenopausalCited 16 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.
Mixed resultsSystematic review · 2,646 participants pooled · 2004Early postmenopausalCited 219 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 17 randomized trials in menopausal women found exercise improved body fat, waist circumference, triglycerides, and lumbar spine bone density compared with no exercise.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 792 participants pooled · 2018Midlife womenCited 16 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 59 trials in postmenopausal women aged 45 to 78 found aerobic training improved blood pressure, BMI, waist circumference, body fat, cholesterol and fitness, with very low certainty evidence.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 4,225 participants pooled · 2024PostmenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 15 RCTs with 1,110 middle-aged women found aerobic exercise reduced waist circumference and blood glucose and increased VO2 max.
Direction not statedMeta-analysis · 1,110 participants pooled · 2022Midlife womenCited 6 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 61 RCTs with 4,100 postmenopausal women found aerobic exercise lowered blood pressure, improved lipid profile, and reduced anxiety, with no significant effect on depression or total cholesterol.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 4,100 participants pooled · 2025PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 19 trials in postmenopausal women found resistance training reduced total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides, especially in those with obesity or high cholesterol.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2023PostmenopausalCited 14 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 12 trials in postmenopausal women found resistance training reduced C-reactive protein and improved lipid profile but had little effect on waist circumference.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 482 participants pooled · 2022PostmenopausalCited 3 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 meta-analysis of RCTs found that 16 weeks of aerobic training or 12 weeks of resistance training improved cholesterol and triglyceride levels in obese postmenopausal women.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 16 weeks · 2025Midlife womenCited 9 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 17 studies found plaza dancing reduced body weight, BMI, body fat, blood pressure and cholesterol, and improved vital capacity in middle-aged and older women.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2025Midlife womenCited 6 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with abnormal cholesterol did one year of aerobic exercise, diet, or both; diet plus exercise reduced LDL cholesterol while exercise alone did not change weight or diet.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 180 women · 52 weeks · 1998Midlife womenCited 328 timesPubMed
A network meta-analysis of 51 RCTs in postmenopausal women found HIIT, aerobic and combined exercise significantly lowered triglycerides versus control, while resistance training did not.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2,046 participants pooled · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
In 120 postmenopausal women and men aged 50-65, two years of higher or lower intensity endurance exercise improved treadmill fitness and modestly raised HDL cholesterol in home-based groups.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 269 women · 104 weeks · 1995Midlife womenCited 306 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
Postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes following a 6-month Mediterranean lifestyle program combining diet, exercise and stress management reported improved blood sugar control, BMI and quality of life versus usual care.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 279 women · 26 weeks · 2003PostmenopausalCited 168 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women did moderate or vigorous treadmill walking for 20 weeks during calorie restriction; both exercise groups preserved lean mass but showed no extra loss of abdominal fat versus diet alone.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 95 women · 20 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 128 timesPubMed
Over 54 months, women given a diet and physical activity program going through perimenopause to postmenopause had smaller LDL cholesterol increases, less weight gain, and smaller waist circumference increase than an assessment-only group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 535 women · 234 weeks · 2001Midlife womenCited 99 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal breast cancer survivors cycling three times weekly for 15 weeks showed improved heart rate recovery and a non-significant drop in C-reactive protein versus controls.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 52 women · 15 weeks · 2005PostmenopausalCited 140 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
A 6-month aerobic exercise program in overweight postmenopausal women with elevated blood pressure increased fitness and reduced weight and waist circumference but did not change blood pressure or lipid or inflammatory markers.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 267 women · 26 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 90 timesPubMed
Sedentary postmenopausal women at increased cardiovascular risk were assigned to different doses of aerobic exercise training for six months to study effects on fitness and heart disease risk factors.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 450 women · 26 weeks · 2004PostmenopausalCited 83 timesPubMed
In 107 overweight postmenopausal women over 6 months, adding resistance training to calorie restriction reduced body fat more but did not further improve lipids, insulin or inflammation markers versus diet alone.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 107 women · 26 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 87 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 2 years of resistance and walking exercise with or without soy isoflavones, and exercise groups maintained hip bone density and improved balance compared with control.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 351 women · 104 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 62 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal Japanese women who walked 45 minutes 3 times weekly for a year had reduced fat mass, increased HDL cholesterol, and less bone loss at the hip.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 136 women · 52 weeks · 2006Early postmenopausalCited 87 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal Japanese women over 24 weeks, walking combined with isoflavone intake increased HDL cholesterol and decreased body fat, with bone density effects depending on equol-producer status.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 128 women · 24 weeks · 2006PostmenopausalCited 82 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women in an 18-month diet and physical activity program lost about 17 pounds and showed improved cholesterol, insulin and glucose compared to a health education group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 508 women · 78 weeks · 2006PostmenopausalCited 62 timesPubMed
In 535 premenopausal women aged 44 to 50, a 6-month diet and physical activity program reduced weight, cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar compared with no intervention.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 520 women · 26 weeks · 1995PerimenopausalCited 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.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 100 women · 26 weeks · 2011PostmenopausalCited 65 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did low or high volume resistance training three times weekly for 16 weeks, and both groups gained strength while high volume training reduced waist size, cholesterol and inflammation more.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 32 women · 16 weeks · 2016PostmenopausalCited 70 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women aged 49 to 55 took hormone therapy or placebo, each with or without exercise, and researchers found exercise improved bone density mainly in the placebo group, with no added effect when combined with estrogen.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 78 women · 104 weeks · 1997PostmenopausalCited 83 timesPubMed
92 postmenopausal women with obesity did diet, physical-cognitive exercise, or both for 3 months, and exercise groups showed improved memory, BDNF, insulin and body fat versus controls.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 92 women · 12 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 42 timesPubMed
Obese postmenopausal Korean women did 16 weeks of yoga exercise and showed reduced body fat, blood pressure and insulin resistance, with increased HDL cholesterol and adiponectin, versus a no-exercise control group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 16 women · 16 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 75 timesPubMed
Fifteen sedentary postmenopausal women did 8 weeks of low intensity resistance training, which significantly increased muscle strength but did not change blood lipid profiles or body composition.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 15 women · 8 weeks · 2002PostmenopausalCited 95 timesPubMed
Sedentary postmenopausal women walking five days weekly at varying intensities and doses showed small improvements in diastolic blood pressure and blood glucose, but no change in lipids or insulin.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 246 women · 2003PostmenopausalCited 53 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with fatty liver disease did 24 weeks of supervised aerobic activity, reducing waist circumference, raising HDL cholesterol, and improving fitness versus controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 40 women · 24 weeks · 2016PostmenopausalCited 51 timesPubMed
In 46 postmenopausal women, 16 weeks of resistance training with or without soy protein increased muscle mass and reduced waist circumference, while soy alone lowered cholesterol and LDL.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 46 women · 16 weeks · 2007PostmenopausalCited 61 timesPubMed
Obese postmenopausal women did six months of exercise with or without isoflavone supplementation, and exercise plus isoflavone reduced body weight and abdominal fat more than exercise alone.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 50 women · 26 weeks · 2007PostmenopausalCited 57 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women walked 3 or 5 days a week for 24 weeks, and authors reported both increased aerobic fitness and decreased body fat, with no change in serum lipids.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 56 women · 24 weeks · 1996PostmenopausalCited 72 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.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 28 women · 104 weeks · 2000PostmenopausalCited 75 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.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 65 women · 2016PostmenopausalCited 41 timesPubMed
Eleven postmenopausal women who walked briskly for 90 minutes had lower postprandial blood fat levels afterward than when they restricted food intake by the same energy amount.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 11 women · 2000PostmenopausalCited 83 timesPubMed
In 34 men and postmenopausal women, 6 weeks of increased daily walking reduced triglycerides, while raisins and walking together lowered blood pressure and cholesterol, researchers reported.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 34 women · 6 weeks · 2008Midlife womenCited 55 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did a moderate exercise program with or without estrogen for 6 months, and exercise alone reduced cholesterol and LDL and increased fitness.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 101 women · 26 weeks · 1994PostmenopausalCited 60 timesPubMed
Overweight middle-aged women trained at their maximal fat oxidation intensity five days a week for 10 weeks and showed reduced body fat, weight and triglycerides compared to controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 30 women · 10 weeks · 2016Midlife womenCited 44 timesPubMed
Perimenopausal women who walked briskly three or more times weekly for 12 weeks reported greater reductions in menopausal symptom scores, cholesterol, triglycerides and weight than controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 111 women · 12 weeks · 2014PerimenopausalCited 35 timesPubMed
A review of 15 intervention studies found that physical activity combined with calorie-restricted diets in postmenopausal women generally reduced body weight, fat mass and waist size and improved blood sugar and fitness.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 2010PostmenopausalCited 9 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women aged 60 to 72 did 11 months of endurance exercise, hormone therapy, both, or neither, and exercise lowered total and LDL cholesterol while HRT raised HDL cholesterol.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 71 women · 44 weeks · 1996PostmenopausalCited 57 timesPubMed
Elderly postmenopausal women did a 12 week home bench step exercise program, and those with lower starting HDL cholesterol showed increased HDL and reduced an inflammatory marker.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 62 women · 12 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 37 timesPubMed
In obese postmenopausal women, 16 weeks of aerobic exercise reduced body fat, glucose, insulin and blood pressure, and raised sex hormone binding globulin, versus no change in controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 30 women · 16 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 45 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
Sedentary postmenopausal women and men who walked briskly before meals, in short or one long session, had lower post-meal blood fat levels than without walking.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 10 women · 2000PostmenopausalCited 61 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did a 12 week home-based bench step exercise program and showed improved BMI, blood pressure, glucose, LDL cholesterol and arterial stiffness measures.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 26 women · 12 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 38 timesPubMed
In 24 sedentary women aged 41 to 55, 12 weeks of brisk walking improved fitness and reduced body fat, lowered the post-meal insulin response, but did not change the post-meal triglyceride response.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 24 women · 12 weeks · 1995Midlife womenCited 54 timesPubMed
Overweight middle-aged women doing aerobic training three times weekly for 3 months, with or without daily orange juice, both lost fat and improved anaerobic threshold, with juice linked to better LDL and HDL changes.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 26 women · 12 weeks · 2010Midlife womenCited 37 timesPubMed
In 37 prediabetic women, 3 months of a Diabetic Yoga Protocol reduced HbA1c and glucose levels, though cholesterol increased in menopausal participants.
Reported a worseningRandomised trial · 37 women · 12 weeks · 2019Midlife womenCited 27 timesPubMed
Twenty two postmenopausal women did two months of walking and cycling, and the exercise group showed increased pentraxin 3, HDL cholesterol, peak oxygen uptake and arterial compliance.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 22 women · 8 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 35 timesPubMed
Sedentary postmenopausal women did 30 or 45 minutes of moderate exercise 5 days a week for 12 weeks; longer duration produced greater gains in fitness, body composition and HDL cholesterol.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 26 women · 12 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 35 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 10 weeks of combined aerobic and resistance training with or without isoflavone supplement; exercise alone was linked to lower total cholesterol and higher IL-8, with no added effect of isoflavone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 32 women · 10 weeks · 2018PostmenopausalCited 27 timesPubMed
In 35 obese postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome, resistance band training improved blood glucose, insulin resistance, lipids, blood pressure, body fat and lean mass compared to no change in controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 35 women · 2021PostmenopausalCited 24 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women who did supervised aerobic or resistance exercise 3 days a week for 8 weeks reported improved menopausal symptoms, lower depression and better quality of life, with no change in lipid profiles.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 36 women · 8 weeks · 2010PostmenopausalCited 31 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
Protocol describes a planned 12-month trial testing a diet and physical activity weight management program in overweight postmenopausal women attending breast screening; no results reported yet.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 414 women · 52 weeks · 2018PostmenopausalCited 15 timesPubMed
Inactive pre-menopausal women with mild hypertension who did one year of small-sided soccer training had greater reductions in blood pressure and fat mass, and improved bone mineral density, lipids and fitness than controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 31 women · 52 weeks · 2017OtherCited 25 timesPubMed
Over 12 weeks, 50 midlife women doing aerobic exercise improved peak oxygen uptake by 18%, while a strength training group showed no fitness change; lipid changes were similar between groups.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 50 women · 12 weeks · 1991Midlife womenCited 41 timesPubMed
In 38 dynapenic-obese postmenopausal women over 12 weeks, resistance training improved physical capacity while caloric restriction with or without resistance training improved body composition and metabolic markers.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 38 women · 12 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 26 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome, 8 weeks of resistance training or HIIT reduced weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, with HIIT improving metabolic markers more and resistance training improving muscle mass and strength more.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 45 women · 8 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 19 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with mild hyperlipidemia who walked about 54 minutes most days for six months had reduced cholesterol, triglycerides, body fat and increased fitness versus controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 25 women · 26 weeks · 1995PostmenopausalCited 41 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal women, 12 weeks of resistance training improved blood pressure, estimated peak VO2 and total cholesterol compared with controls, with no change in homocysteine.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 45 women · 12 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 24 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis did brisk walks and aerobic exercise for one year; the training group reduced waist circumference versus controls, with no significant changes in blood pressure or lipids.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 92 women · 52 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 22 timesPubMed
Twenty-two postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of progressive resistance training, and researchers found increased strength, reduced waist circumference, cholesterol and blood glucose, with no change in blood pressure.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 22 women · 12 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 25 timesPubMed
A one-year moderate-intensity aerobic exercise program in overweight, sedentary postmenopausal women improved fitness and reduced body fat but did not significantly change blood cholesterol levels versus stretching controls.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 170 women · 52 weeks · 2006PostmenopausalCited 20 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal obese black women with a family history of breast cancer did six months of supervised or home-based walking exercise and showed improved metabolic syndrome scores compared to controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 213 women · 26 weeks · 2018PostmenopausalCited 14 timesPubMed
Middle-aged women in a diet and physical activity lifestyle programme maintained improvements in weight, cholesterol and blood pressure measures from 6 to 18 months, though some benefits partly declined.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 489 women · 78 weeks · 1998Midlife womenCited 19 timesPubMed
Midlife women did a year of home-based aerobic exercise with slight calorie restriction, showing greater weight loss at 6 months that faded by 12 months, but lasting HDL cholesterol improvement.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 203 women · 52 weeks · 2010Midlife womenCited 17 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome features did 6 months of low-load circuit resistance or aerobic cycling training; both groups reduced body fat, blood pressure and cholesterol with no difference between methods.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 34 women · 24 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 20 timesPubMed
240 postmenopausal women on hormone therapy joined a lifestyle intervention or health education over 18 months; the lifestyle group increased physical activity and reduced weight and cholesterol.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 240 women · 78 weeks · 2007PostmenopausalCited 17 timesPubMed
Untrained postmenopausal women played recreational team handball 2 to 3 times weekly for 16 weeks and showed greater improvements in aerobic fitness and cholesterol levels than controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 67 women · 16 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 16 timesPubMed
Obese postmenopausal women who did 12 weeks of whole body resistance training 3 days a week gained muscular strength and had lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol than controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 21 women · 12 weeks · 2011PostmenopausalCited 25 timesPubMed
Inactive postmenopausal women with high triglycerides tried continuous or short bouts of walking in one day; both walking patterns lowered post-meal triglyceride levels versus sitting.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 12 women · 2018PostmenopausalCited 23 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women did 16 weeks of resistance training with or without DHA supplementation, with training maintaining bone mineral content, increasing lean mass and strength, and improving glucose tolerance.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 16 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 36 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women followed for six months after a 12 week diet with or without exercise showed those who kept exercising had greater fat loss, but bone density was not affected in either group.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 118 women · 78 weeks · 1994PostmenopausalCited 24 timesPubMed
Chinese menopausal transition and early postmenopausal women followed a 12-month diet and aerobic activity program; the intervention group showed greater decreases in weight, blood pressure and cholesterol than controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 100 women · 52 weeks · 2014PerimenopausalCited 15 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 11 weeks of resistance training three times weekly, and high-volume training reduced post-meal blood fat levels more than low-volume training.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 36 women · 11 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 18 timesPubMed
Middle-aged women who followed a 12-week systematic walking program showed greater increases in HDL cholesterol and greater decreases in insulin than a control group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 52 women · 12 weeks · 2003Midlife womenCited 22 timesPubMed
In 40 middle-aged obese women with diabetes, 24 weeks of Baduanjin qigong reduced waist, blood glucose, HbA1c and triglycerides compared with no exercise.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 40 women · 24 weeks · 2018Midlife womenCited 16 timesPubMed
Perimenopausal women did 4 months of concurrent aerobic and resistance training; the exercise group showed lower LDL cholesterol than a counseling-only group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 150 women · 16 weeks · 2018PerimenopausalCited 12 timesPubMed
Obese postmenopausal women on calorie restriction with or without aerobic exercise for 20 weeks lost similar weight and had similar reductions in a lipid-related blood marker, sLOX-1.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 61 women · 20 weeks · 2011PostmenopausalCited 16 timesPubMed
Sedentary postmenopausal women doing 16 weeks of periodized resistance training three times weekly showed significant decreases in total and LDL cholesterol, with no change in HDL or triglycerides.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 50 women · 16 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 16 timesPubMed
In a 15 week trial, resistance training in postmenopausal women with vasomotor symptoms reduced ferritin, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol compared with a sedentary control group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 55 women · 15 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 12 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women and men increased daily steps walked, alone or with raisins, over 6 weeks; the walking group showed a decrease in apolipoprotein C-III and increased LDL receptor gene activity.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 34 women · 6 weeks · 2009Midlife womenCited 17 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women underwent a 6-month mainly exercise-based weight loss program with estrogen, raloxifene, or placebo; hormone therapy did not increase abdominal fat loss but improved some lipid and glucose measures.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 119 women · 26 weeks · 2014PostmenopausalCited 11 timesPubMed
In 84 sedentary climacteric women with metabolic syndrome, 24 weeks of yoga reduced metabolic syndrome frequency and improved waist circumference, blood pressure, lipids, glucose and inflammation markers compared with controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 84 women · 24 weeks · 2024Midlife womenCited 9 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.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 16 women · 8 weeks · 2023Midlife womenCited 13 timesPubMed
In untrained postmenopausal women, moderate-intensity interval walking and continuous walking training produced similar improvements in glucose, insulin, HDL cholesterol and aerobic fitness.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 32 women · 2014PostmenopausalCited 14 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.
Mixed resultsRandomised 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.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 62 women · 12 weeks · 2024Midlife womenCited 9 timesPubMed
Early postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of resistance training with placebo or transdermal estrogen; placebo group lost more fat mass, while estrogen group improved cholesterol and glucose markers.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 31 women · 12 weeks · 2021Early postmenopausalCited 11 timesPubMed
Sedentary men and postmenopausal women with overweight/obesity did 3 weeks of vigorous treadmill exercise with calorie restriction, reducing weight, fat mass and improving insulin sensitivity without changing gut microbiome.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 30 women · 3 weeks · 2025Midlife womenCited 10 timesPubMed
Obese menopausal women did 6 months of caloric restriction with or without resistance training; adding resistance training improved muscle strength more in women with low baseline strength.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 109 women · 26 weeks · 2015Midlife womenCited 9 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal women averaging 56 years, 12 weeks of treadmill exercise improved waist circumference, HDL cholesterol, interleukin-6 levels and exercise capacity compared to a control group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 46 women · 12 weeks · 2014PostmenopausalCited 11 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with prediabetes did an intensive lifestyle program including 150 minutes of weekly exercise, which lowered LDL and raised HDL cholesterol after one year, mainly among hormone therapy users.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 724 women · 52 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 6 timesPubMed
Over 12 weeks, 58 middle-aged women at cardiovascular risk using counseling, texts and a pedometer showed improved activity levels, body fat, and fasting blood sugar, but no change in cholesterol.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 58 women · 12 weeks · 2019Midlife womenCited 9 timesPubMed
A 10-week intermittent walking programme in 36 obese postmenopausal women reduced thyroid stimulating hormone, triglycerides, cholesterol and blood pressure, and improved fitness and HDL cholesterol.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 36 women · 10 weeks · 2026Early postmenopausalCited 8 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women aged 50 to 60 did treadmill training twice weekly for six months, with or without phototherapy, and showed improved cholesterol and reduced skinfold thickness.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 30 women · 26 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed
In middle-aged men and postmenopausal women, 4 weeks of aerobic exercise training increased HDL cholesterol, while plant stanol ester margarine lowered total and LDL cholesterol.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 26 women · 9 weeks · 2006Midlife womenCited 12 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
Middle-aged women doing one bout of resistance exercise with or without DHEA supplementation showed improved glucose tolerance, with lipids lowered only when DHEA followed exercise.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 20 women · 2005Midlife womenCited 12 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
Sedentary middle-aged women who jogged for 4 months improved endurance capacity but showed only small, mostly nonsignificant changes in serum lipid levels compared to controls.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 33 women · 16 weeks · 1992Midlife womenCited 14 timesPubMed
Obese postmenopausal women did Taekwondo training five times weekly for 16 weeks and showed reduced weight, body fat, cholesterol and negative mood, with increased serotonin.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 24 women · 16 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 7 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal women, 16 weeks of concurrent aerobic plus strength training raised HDL cholesterol and lowered atherogenic index, with benefits sustained a year later in those with high triglycerides.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 60 women · 16 weeks · 2018PostmenopausalCited 6 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
Perimenopausal women received dietary guidance combined with resistance exercise for three months and showed reduced waist circumference and triglycerides compared to controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 78 women · 12 weeks · 2021PerimenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
Late premenopausal and early postmenopausal women did 3 months of high-intensity aerobic training, which reduced weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and improved insulin response similarly in both groups.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 79 women · 12 weeks · 2017Midlife womenCited 64 timesPubMed
Sedentary overweight or obese postmenopausal women underwent a diet based weight loss program with or without resistance training, and visceral fat measured by two methods decreased similarly after the intervention.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 92 women · 2012PostmenopausalCited 6 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women aged 45 to 59 did a 6 month strength and stamina exercise programme in water and on land, which lowered systolic blood pressure and insulin more than no exercise.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 63 women · 26 weeks · 2008PostmenopausalCited 7 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
In over 27,000 healthy US women averaging age 55, lower self-reported physical activity was linked to worse cholesterol and inflammatory marker levels, though body weight mattered more.
Reported a worseningCross-sectional study · 27,158 women · 2006Midlife womenCited 247 timesPubMed
In a 6 month community weight management program combining diet, counseling and exercise visits, women lost an average of 4.7% body weight, with BMI and lipids improving regardless of menopausal status.
Reported an improvementCohort study · 198 women · 26 weeks · 2006Midlife womenCited 51 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with fatty liver did 8 weeks of combined aerobic-resistance training with or without royal jelly, and the supplement group showed larger improvements in liver enzymes and lipid profile.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 23 women · 8 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 4 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with abdominal obesity used a mobile and internet diet and exercise program for 12 weeks and showed reduced waist circumference, weight, blood pressure and cholesterol versus controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 67 women · 12 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 54 timesPubMed
In 70 postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes, a 12 week home-based multi-task exercise program improved HDL levels, cognitive function, and physical fitness compared to controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 70 women · 12 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 3 timesPubMed
Obese postmenopausal women who followed 6 months of hypocaloric diet plus low-intensity walking lost weight and abdominal fat and improved lipid and glucose measures, in both Caucasian and African-American women.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 76 women · 26 weeks · 2003PostmenopausalCited 63 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 9 trained and 13 untrained women around age 40 to 44, a 90 minute walk before a high fat meal reportedly lowered post meal blood fat levels compared with no exercise.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 22 women · 1997Midlife womenCited 84 timesPubMed
In 40 postmenopausal women, a 24-week Tai Chi (Bafa Wubu) program lowered systolic blood pressure, improved cholesterol levels, and improved vascular endothelial function compared to controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 40 women · 24 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 3 timesPubMed
Overweight women aged 35 to 50 did 10 weeks of HIIT or HIIT plus resistance training; strength improved with combined training and lipid and insulin markers improved in both groups, but fitness did not improve.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 27 women · 10 weeks · 2024Midlife womenCited 3 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women did 10 weeks of Nordic walking or Pilates, and Nordic walking produced larger improvements in weight, blood glucose and cholesterol than Pilates.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 147 women · 10 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 34 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women compared prolonged sitting with regular brief walking breaks, and researchers found walking breaks lowered after-meal blood triglyceride levels compared with sitting.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 15 women · 2016PostmenopausalCited 45 timesPubMed
Sedentary postmenopausal women did a 1-year elastic band resistance training program and showed reduced weight, waist circumference, cholesterol, and inflammation compared to controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 38 women · 52 weeks · 2018PostmenopausalCited 31 timesPubMed
Moderately obese postmenopausal women did diet alone or diet plus walking and resistance exercise for 24 weeks, and both groups lost weight with no added effect of exercise on blood lipids or glucose.
No difference foundControlled trial · 41 women · 24 weeks · 1996PostmenopausalCited 51 timesPubMed
Pre-menopausal women who did a single 2-hour brisk treadmill walk had fasting triglycerides reduced by about 23% and postprandial triglyceride response reduced by about 23%.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 19 women · 2003OtherCited 48 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.
Direction not statedControlled trial · 60 women · 16 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 27 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did a single evening bout of aerobic exercise, and researchers found lower next-morning triglyceride and VLDL responses to a high-sugar breakfast compared with no exercise.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 22 women · 2022PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
In 22 postmenopausal women on or off hormone therapy, a 3-week low-fat, high-fiber diet with aerobic exercise raised SHBG and lowered insulin, BMI and cholesterol.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 22 women · 3 weeks · 2000PostmenopausalCited 48 timesPubMed
A pilot trial of diet, exercise and stress management in 49 perimenopausal Latinas found the program feasible and acceptable for reducing cardiovascular risk factors over 12 months.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 49 women · 52 weeks · 2026PerimenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did a 12-week fitness walking program and showed improved triglycerides, blood pressure, blood sugar, waist circumference and HDL versus controls who worsened.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 30 women · 12 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes did supervised aerobic and resistance training three times weekly for 10 weeks and showed improved fitness and artery compliance, but no change in blood pressure or lipids.
No difference foundControlled trial · 28 women · 10 weeks · 2004PostmenopausalCited 29 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women ate high or low oleic acid beef for 6 weeks each and did a single bout of aerobic exercise; exercise blunted the rise in HDL cholesterol caused by the high oleic acid diet.
Mixed resultsControlled trial · 17 women · 16 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 22 timesPubMed
In Australian women aged 45 to 55 followed for about three years, increases in physical activity were linked to increases in HDL cholesterol and wellbeing.
Reported an improvementCohort study · 292 women · 156 weeks · 1997Midlife womenCited 18 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.
Mixed resultsControlled 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
African-American pre- and postmenopausal women did six months of mild-intensity aerobic exercise; postmenopausal women showed improved triglycerides and some vascular markers but not fitness or glucose.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 35 women · 26 weeks · 2014Midlife womenCited 17 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did brisk walking with or without added yoga for three months, and adding yoga produced greater improvements in BMI, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 139 women · 12 weeks · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
In postmenopausal women aged 50-60, 8 weeks of Tai Chi combined with time-restricted eating improved cholesterol levels and endothelial function more than time-restricted eating alone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 142 women · 8 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalPubMed
Sedentary postmenopausal women aged 60 to 75 with dyslipidemia did 10 weeks of Pilates, which improved cardiorespiratory fitness but did not change cholesterol or lipid levels compared to controls.
No difference foundControlled trial · 26 women · 10 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 13 timesPubMed
Overweight premenopausal and postmenopausal women did a 16-week brisk walking program, which lowered glucose area under the curve but did not improve the overall cardiometabolic risk profile.
No difference foundControlled trial · 30 women · 16 weeks · 2013Midlife womenCited 15 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal women, a 15-week resistance training program reduced hot flush frequency for up to 6 months, but the benefit was not maintained at 2-year follow-up.
No difference foundCohort study · 35 women · 104 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 11 timesPubMed
Seventy obese postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of high intensity interval training plus mindfulness breathing, which reported reduced weight, insulin resistance, cholesterol and tumor marker levels compared with controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 70 women · 12 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalPubMed
In a trial of 58 overweight or obese postmenopausal women, a single high-intensity interval cycling session raised myonectin and fat-related blood markers and lowered triglycerides regardless of morning or evening timing.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 58 women · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
In 25 physically active postmenopausal women, a single treadmill walking session reduced triglycerides by about 8.5% regardless of baseline cholesterol status.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 25 women · 2005PostmenopausalCited 18 timesPubMed
Pre- and postmenopausal obese women did a 16-week walking program, with both groups showing similar reductions in fat mass, waist size and HDL cholesterol, and improved fitness.
Mixed resultsControlled trial · 30 women · 16 weeks · 2010Midlife womenCited 15 timesPubMed
In 23 postmenopausal women aged 44 to 75, 4 weeks of estrogen therapy lowered LDL and raised HDL cholesterol but did not change heart rate or blood pressure responses during treadmill exercise overall.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 23 women · 4 weeks · 1999PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with overweight or obesity did 16 weeks of resistance training and/or DHA supplementation, with muscle quality improving more with resistance training and cardiometabolic markers improving more with DHA.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 16 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
In 23 sedentary middle-aged women, six weeks of resistance training combined with electrical stimulation reduced LDL and total cholesterol more than resistance training alone, with no difference in glucose or CRP.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 23 women · 6 weeks · 2026Midlife womenPubMed
Sedentary postmenopausal women did a single session of high or moderate intensity interval exercise before a high-fat meal, and both reduced post-meal triglycerides compared with rest.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 11 women · 2025PostmenopausalPubMed
Pre and postmenopausal women did a 3 month high-intensity aerobic exercise program, and both groups showed increased plasma apolipoprotein M and sphingosine-1-phosphate levels regardless of menopausal status.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 75 women · 12 weeks · 2019Midlife womenCited 7 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 a single high or low volume resistance exercise session, and researchers found no reduction in blood lipid levels measured 16 hours later compared to controls.
No difference foundControlled trial · 39 women · 2014PostmenopausalCited 6 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
Twenty postmenopausal women at risk for heart disease did a 2 week diet and daily walking program and showed reduced BMI, insulin, cholesterol, and some inflammatory markers.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 20 women · 2 weeks · 2004PostmenopausalCited 82 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal women, combined strength and aerobic training reduced fat mass more than functional training, while functional training alone reduced LDL cholesterol.
Mixed resultsControlled trial · 52 women · 2017PostmenopausalCited 4 timesPubMed
In 851 postmenopausal women aged 45 to 64, higher leisure physical activity was linked to higher HDL cholesterol and lower insulin and fibrinogen levels, with no link to blood pressure.
Reported an improvementCross-sectional study · 851 women · 1996PostmenopausalCited 44 timesPubMed
In 76 perimenopausal women, a 3-month diet and exercise program reduced body weight and improved cholesterol in most women, but those with a specific gene mutation showed little weight loss.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 76 women · 13 weeks · 2003PerimenopausalCited 60 timesPubMed
Overweight pre and postmenopausal women following a meal replacement diet plus guided exercise from week 6 to 24 both lost weight, with postmenopausal women showing greater improvements in blood pressure, triglycerides and glucose.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 72 women · 24 weeks · 2007Midlife womenCited 53 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.
Mixed resultsControlled trial · 38 women · 26 weeks · 2025Midlife womenCited 3 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women who increased weekend moderate to vigorous physical activity by about 16 minutes had 13 percent lower post-meal blood triglyceride levels than during their usual weekend routine.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 10 women · 2014PostmenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women who habitually did combined aerobic and resistance exercise for over a year had longer telomere length and better metabolic markers than sedentary women of similar age.
Reported an improvementCross-sectional study · 44 women · 2012PostmenopausalCited 45 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with obesity who did 4 months of resistance training saw decreased body fat and increased strength and fitness, with smaller effects on cholesterol and no change in blood sugar control.
Mixed resultsControlled trial · 51 women · 16 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
Forty-four postmenopausal women with cardiometabolic conditions did 12 weeks of Mat Pilates, which lowered blood pressure and triglycerides more in those with a single condition than multiple conditions.
Mixed resultsControlled trial · 44 women · 12 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
Middle-aged overweight Korean women with high triglycerides did 12 weeks of brisk walking, with or without added diet counseling, and both groups showed reduced triglycerides and apolipoprotein B.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 19 women · 12 weeks · 2006Midlife womenCited 3 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of Bungy Pump Training, 3 times weekly, and showed greater gains in fitness and reductions in visceral fat and body fat than women doing daily activity.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 56 women · 12 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
In sedentary postmenopausal women, 4 weeks of extended release niacin improved HDL cholesterol, but combining a single exercise session with niacin was studied alongside niacin alone.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 18 women · 4 weeks · 2010PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal women in a weight loss trial, higher leisure-time physical activity was associated with lower body mass index, waist circumference, body fat and more favorable cholesterol regardless of sleep quality.
Reported an improvementCross-sectional study · 393 women · 2012PostmenopausalCited 11 timesPubMed
Over 24 months, climacteric women practicing yoga showed reduced BMI, body fat, blood pressure and fasting glucose, and higher HDL and estradiol, compared with sedentary controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 182 women · 104 weeks · 2026Midlife womenPubMed
In 571 women aged 50 to 60, those with more daily steps and more breaks from sitting had higher HDL cholesterol and lower triglycerides measured by accelerometer.
Reported an improvementCross-sectional study · 571 women · 2021Midlife womenCited 8 timesPubMed
A controlled trial of 102 sedentary climacteric women with metabolic syndrome found 24 months of Shivam Yoga reduced fasting glucose, blood pressure, waist circumference and menopausal symptom scores.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 102 women · 104 weeks · 2026Midlife womenPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 8 weeks of circuit resistance training at varying intensities, with or without Zataria Multiflora supplementation, which together changed blood lipid and viscosity markers.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 96 women · 8 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalPubMed
A 12-week aquatic HIIT program in postmenopausal women improved blood lipids overall and lowered blood pressure in some genotype groups, with no consistent arterial stiffness benefit.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 47 women · 12 weeks · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
In 485 postmenopausal women, higher physical activity was linked to more favorable cholesterol and lipoprotein levels, with some associations differing by hormone therapy use.
Reported an improvementCross-sectional study · 485 women · 2007PostmenopausalCited 8 timesPubMed
In a trial of 28 postmenopausal women, 12 weeks of a ring fit adventure exergame twice weekly reduced arterial stiffness and increased HDL cholesterol compared with no exercise.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 28 women · 12 weeks · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
Ninety middle-aged Korean women with obesity did three months of aerobic exercise training and researchers found improved body composition, blood pressure, cholesterol and adiponectin levels.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 90 women · 12 weeks · 2013Midlife womenCited 9 timesPubMed
36 obese postmenopausal women did a 6 month diet plus low-intensity walking program, and those with greater drops in fat tissue enzyme activity lost more abdominal fat and regained less weight afterward.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 36 women · 26 weeks · 2000PostmenopausalCited 14 timesPubMed
In 721 women aged 45 to 55, higher physical activity was associated with lower dyslipidaemia risk, but activity did not fully offset the higher risk linked to sleep problems.
Reported an improvementCross-sectional study · 721 women · 2022Midlife womenCited 3 timesPubMed
Overweight middle-aged women did a 4-month diet and exercise program; those with greater BMI reduction showed significantly increased serum GPIHBP1 linked to decreased body weight and fat.
Direction not statedBefore-and-after study · 66 women · 16 weeks · 2017Midlife womenCited 6 timesPubMed
Inactive pre and postmenopausal women with obesity did a 16 week walking program and showed reduced insulin resistance, improved fitness and body fat, but increased triglycerides and lower HDL cholesterol.
Mixed resultsBefore-and-after study · 29 women · 16 weeks · 2018Midlife womenCited 7 timesPubMed
Obese postmenopausal women who walked briskly 3 times weekly for 16 weeks improved fitness and fat loss most when adherence was high, regardless of exercise intensity.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 159 women · 16 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 5 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.
Mixed resultsBefore-and-after study · 38 women · 16 weeks · 2018PostmenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with abdominal obesity did 12 weeks of interval Nordic walking or strength training, both reduced waist circumference, raised HDL, and lowered blood glucose versus controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 12 weeks · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
Among 31 menopausal women, those with more years and higher weekly frequency of resistance training had lower trunk fat mass and an association with higher HDL cholesterol.
Reported an improvementCross-sectional study · 31 women · 2022Midlife womenCited 4 timesPubMed
In 56 postmenopausal breast cancer survivors on aromatase inhibitors, a multimodal exercise and health education program reduced metabolic syndrome prevalence, hypertension, central obesity, and triglycerides, and improved quality of life after 3 months.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 56 women · 12 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 3 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
Sixty six obese menopausal women followed a structured diet and exercise program for three months and showed reduced weight, blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol, and better quality of life.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 66 women · 12 weeks · 2016PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
A 12-week combined aerobic and resistance programme in 101 perimenopausal Chinese teachers lowered triglycerides and fasting glucose and improved muscular strength and endurance.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 101 women · 12 weeks · 2026PerimenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
A review of exercise training in hypertensive postmenopausal women reported that aerobic and resistance exercise were linked to improved blood pressure, lipid profiles and cardiorespiratory fitness.
Reported an improvementOther · 2018PostmenopausalCited 56 timesPubMed
Obese middle-aged women were followed one year after an 18 week jogging and diet program; researchers reported fitness and cholesterol ratio gains were maintained with continued self-directed training.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 13 women · 52 weeks · 1991Midlife womenCited 2 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
Fourteen postmenopausal breast cancer survivors on tamoxifen did 12 weeks of resistance training then 12 weeks of detraining, with fat mass decreasing and muscle strength and cholesterol improving after training.
Reported an improvementOther · 14 women · 12 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 12 timesPubMed
A cross-sectional study of menopausal women practicing resistance training found metabolically unhealthy women were older, had less RT experience, lower HDL cholesterol and higher visceral adiposity.
Mixed resultsCross-sectional study · 31 women · 2023Midlife womenPubMed
In 12 sedentary postmenopausal women, a single 30 minute brisk walk at moderate or vigorous intensity lowered fasting triglycerides the next morning but did not change CRP or fibrinogen.
Reported an improvementOther · 12 women · 2008PostmenopausalCited 13 timesPubMed
A review of studies found exercise was generally linked to higher HDL cholesterol in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women, though training study results were inconsistent.
Mixed resultsOther · 1993Midlife womenCited 29 timesPubMed
A review reported that habitual running and aerobic exercise were linked to higher bone density, better fitness, lower blood pressure and reduced coronary risk in women including postmenopausal groups.
Mixed resultsOther · 1991Midlife womenCited 29 timesPubMed
This review reported that regular aerobic exercise in postmenopausal women was linked to improved cholesterol and fibrinogen profiles, similar to benefits seen with hormone replacement therapy.
Reported an improvementOther · 2000PostmenopausalCited 22 timesPubMed
A review reported that aerobic and resistance exercise in menopausal women was linked to improved cardiovascular fitness, increased bone mineral content, greater muscle strength and reduced body fat.
Direction not statedOther · 1990Midlife womenCited 21 timesPubMed
A review compared how physical activity and estrogen therapy each affect cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood vessel function in postmenopausal women, finding both may offer cardiovascular benefit.
Direction not statedOther · 1999PostmenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
This review reported that higher-volume aerobic exercise raised HDL cholesterol in pre and postmenopausal women, while resistance training lowered LDL, total cholesterol and body fat without raising HDL.
Mixed resultsOther · 2001Midlife womenCited 2 timesPubMed
This review of strength training studies in postmenopausal women reported that resistance training reduces postprandial lipid concentrations after meals.
Reported an improvementOther · 2015PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
This review reports that regular aerobic or resistance training, alongside Mediterranean or DASH diets, can help mitigate adverse lipid changes during the menopause transition.
Reported an improvementOther · 2026Midlife womenPubMed