A meta-analysis of 20 trials in overweight breast cancer survivors found diet plus exercise programmes reduced weight, BMI and waist size, and improved quality of life.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2,028 participants pooled · 2020Midlife womenCited 67 timesPubMed
A review of seven RCTs in women aged 40 to 60 found counseling interventions modestly reduced weight gain, while exercise-only trials showed no differences and higher fall rates.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 51,638 participants pooled · 2022Midlife womenCited 6 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal breast cancer survivors on letrozole given a 24 month telephone-based diet and physical activity programme lost significantly more weight than those given health information alone, with no harm to quality of life.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 338 women · 104 weeks · 2014PostmenopausalCited 133 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women did 12 months of diet, aerobic exercise, or both; combined diet and exercise improved quality of life and stress more than exercise alone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 439 women · 52 weeks · 2011PostmenopausalCited 133 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.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 279 women · 26 weeks · 2003PostmenopausalCited 168 timesPubMed
Breast cancer survivors did a 12-month remote diet and physical activity weight loss program and reported greater reductions in weight, fat mass, waist size, glucose and musculoskeletal pain than usual care.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 159 women · 52 weeks · 2021Midlife womenCited 40 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
Overweight postmenopausal women lost about 5 to 6 percent of body weight via diet or exercise over 16 weeks, and exercise produced greater self-reported health improvement than diet.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 214 women · 16 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 28 timesPubMed
In a 12-week RCT of early menopausal women, aerobic exercise alone and combined with nutrition education reduced menopause symptom scores and improved quality of life more than control.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 108 women · 12 weeks · 2017Midlife womenCited 29 timesPubMed
A 12 week eHealth lifestyle program combining physical activity, diet and menopause management for women treated for breast, blood or gynaecological cancer reported improved quality of life scores versus usual care.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 351 women · 12 weeks · 2022Midlife womenCited 20 timesPubMed
In 137 overweight postmenopausal women on a 6-month weight loss plan, adding resistance training to caloric restriction did not further improve psychosocial measures beyond diet alone.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 137 women · 26 weeks · 2010PostmenopausalCited 25 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
Overweight postmenopausal women in a 12-month weight loss program with aerobic exercise and vitamin D or placebo showed no improvement in depressive symptoms or quality of life from vitamin D.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 52 weeks · 2016PostmenopausalCited 33 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women aged 52 to 62 in a diet and physical activity weight loss trial who regained weight after 18 months reported worse mental health and social functioning than those who kept it off.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 248 women · 78 weeks · 2008PostmenopausalCited 11 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal women, a low-fat dietary intervention that also increased physical activity reduced age-related decline in physical functioning over 12 years.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 48,835 women · 624 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
In 54 menopausal women, combining time-restricted eating with resistance and endurance circuit training reduced menopausal symptoms and improved quality of life more than exercise alone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 54 women · 2025Midlife womenCited 2 timesPubMed
Menopausal women attended eight weekly cognitive-behavioral sessions including relaxation, exercise and diet, and reported significant reductions in physical and psychological symptoms and improved quality of life.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 28 women · 8 weeks · 2009Midlife womenCited 4 timesPubMed
A pilot lifestyle programme adapted for midlife women with HIV, ages 40 to 59, reported increased physical activity, cardiovascular disease knowledge, and improved fatigue and mental health.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 14 women · 2021Midlife womenCited 8 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
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
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