In 101 postmenopausal women with obesity over 12 months, severe energy restriction caused greater weight and fat loss than moderate restriction but also greater hip bone density loss, with no difference in handgrip strength.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 101 women · 52 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 103 timesPubMed
Obese postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of low-intensity resistance training with or without diet, and researchers found resistance training combined with diet improved arterial stiffness and muscle strength while preserving lean mass.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 41 women · 12 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 79 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.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 92 women · 12 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 42 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women did a 12 month weight loss program with aerobic exercise plus vitamin D3 or placebo, and vitamin D did not improve lean mass or bone density but leg strength decreased more.
Reported a worseningRandomised trial · 218 women · 52 weeks · 2016PostmenopausalCited 38 timesPubMed
Obese postmenopausal women walked and strength trained with diet and GH or IGF-I injections for 12 weeks; all groups lost fat and gained muscle strength without losing lean mass.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 28 women · 12 weeks · 1998PostmenopausalCited 60 timesPubMed
Over 14 weeks, postmenopausal women doing circuit resistance training with energy-restricted diets and calcium or vitamin D supplements showed improved strength, aerobic capacity and varying body composition changes by diet and supplement combination.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 128 women · 14 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 22 timesPubMed
A systematic review of 34 studies in postmenopausal women found strength training improved body composition, muscle strength and bone density, while added protein gave no extra strength benefit.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 1,541 participants pooled · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
In 35 BRCA-positive breast cancer survivors after surgical menopause, a 12 month web-based lifestyle program maintained cardiovascular fitness and bone area and reduced body fat versus control.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 35 women · 52 weeks · 2017OtherCited 18 timesPubMed
In a 12-week trial, 55 postmenopausal women doing resistance training, with or without a high-protein diet, increased skeletal muscle mass and strength more than diet alone or control.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 55 women · 12 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 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
Thirty postmenopausal women did an 8 week HIIT program combined with either intermittent fasting or a low calorie diet, and both groups improved flexibility and VO2 max.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 30 women · 8 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 8 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.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 72 women · 26 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 4 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did a 12-month exercise and nutrition program then 6 months of voluntary home exercise; most physical benefits were maintained but bone and balance gains were not fully sustained with low exercise frequency.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 45 women · 78 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 6 timesPubMed
Thirteen moderately obese postmenopausal women did 4 months of resistive training, with or without weight loss, and authors reported decreased insulin response and increased strength.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 13 women · 16 weeks · 1996PostmenopausalCited 65 timesPubMed
Over 12 weeks, postmenopausal women doing Nordic walking with high protein intake and time-restricted eating showed the largest gains in handgrip strength and physical performance.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 96 women · 12 weeks · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
Obese middle-aged women did a 12-week diet and aerobic program with or without acceleration training; adding acceleration training improved grip strength, balance and flexibility beyond diet and aerobic exercise alone.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 28 women · 12 weeks · 2014Midlife womenCited 10 timesPubMed
In 40 postmenopausal women, 24 weeks of walking and strength training combined with dieting increased muscle strength, while bone density and VO2max did not change.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 40 women · 24 weeks · 1997PostmenopausalCited 14 timesPubMed
A 12-week RCT protocol will compare time-restricted eating alone or with resistance training against calorie restriction plus resistance training, measuring muscle quantity and quality in postmenopausal women with overweight or obesity.
Direction not statedOther · 78 women · 12 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed