A meta-analysis of 4 trials in 256 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis or osteopenia found exercise programmes improved physical function, pain, role physical and vitality quality-of-life domains.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 256 participants pooled · 2009PostmenopausalCited 55 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of nine randomized trials found exercise, especially yoga, improved physical and psychological quality of life in women with menopausal symptoms, but not general or menopause-specific scores.
Mixed resultsMeta-analysis · 2020Midlife womenCited 62 timesPubMed
A scoping review of 67 studies covering over 103,000 midlife women found physical activity generally linked to better psychological and social outcomes like mood and quality of life.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 103,826 participants pooled · 2022Midlife womenCited 24 timesPubMed
A review of 23 studies found exercise-based and mind-body interventions improved quality of life, menopausal symptoms and depression in Asian perimenopausal women, but not hot flashes.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2020PerimenopausalCited 14 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
A review of workplace interventions for menopausal women aged 40 to 60 found Raja yoga and health promotion programs including physical training significantly improved menopausal symptoms.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 293 participants pooled · 2023Midlife womenCited 18 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 12 trials with 1,050 women found exercise and mind-body exercise improved menopausal symptoms, quality of life, anxiety, and depressive symptoms compared with controls.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 1,050 participants pooled · 2026Midlife womenPubMed
In breast cancer patients with treatment induced menopause, physical exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy reduced endocrine and urinary symptoms and improved physical functioning over 6 months compared with a waiting list.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 422 women · 26 weeks · 2012Midlife womenCited 163 timesPubMed
Breast cancer surgery patients did an 8-month exercise program delivered face to face or by phone, reporting better quality of life, fitness and fatigue than usual care, with no difference in other side effects.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 194 women · 32 weeks · 2013Midlife womenCited 146 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
A systematic review of seventeen studies found physical activity was associated with improved overall and breast cancer specific survival, with possibly greater benefit in older or postmenopausal women.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 2013Midlife womenCited 32 timesPubMed
A review of 12 studies found mobile apps and wearables increased physical activity by about 61 weekly minutes in midlife menopausal women and improved weight, anxiety, sleep and quality of life.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 2022Midlife womenCited 14 timesPubMed
Mostly sedentary, overweight middle-aged women at work took part in a 10-minute workplace aerobic dance exercise break, with high participation but mixed effects on self-rated health and energy.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 449 women · 2004Midlife womenCited 55 timesPubMed
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.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
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
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
Inactive postmenopausal breast cancer survivors using a wearable-based activity program for 12 weeks reported small fatigue improvements but no change in overall quality of life versus a waitlist group.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 83 women · 12 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 28 timesPubMed
Women 45 to 60 with breast cancer history who got a 12-week lifestyle program including physical activity reported greater reductions in menopausal symptoms and improved quality of life than controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 55 women · 12 weeks · 2015Midlife womenCited 34 timesPubMed
A planned trial will compare cognitive behavioral therapy, physical exercise, and their combination in younger breast cancer patients with treatment-induced menopause, assessing menopausal symptoms and quality of life.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 325 women · 26 weeks · 2009OtherCited 21 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
Sedentary women with osteoporosis did a 6 month self-management and activity program, which improved pain, quality of life, balance and function versus control.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 50 women · 26 weeks · 2007PostmenopausalCited 24 timesPubMed
Sedentary middle-aged women did a 16-week lifestyle walking intervention; it increased walking and quality of life but did not change antibody response to flu vaccination.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 89 women · 16 weeks · 2013Midlife womenCited 15 timesPubMed
In obese, metabolically unhealthy postmenopausal African-American women, a 6-month supervised or home-based exercise program improved health change scores more than control, with no difference in overall quality of life between the three groups.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 213 women · 26 weeks · 2018PostmenopausalCited 8 timesPubMed
Symptomatic menopausal women with hot flushes were followed 4 years after a physical activity trial, and the intervention group reported better physical functioning and quality of life than controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 95 women · 208 weeks · 2015PerimenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed
A scoping review found one randomized study of a structured aerobic exercise program for menopausal women at work reported slight improvement in workability and mental strain.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 2025Midlife womenCited 1 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
Postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis did a 16 week Tai Chi based activity program and showed improved grip strength, walking speed, disease activity and quality of life versus usual care.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 62 women · 16 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 6 timesPubMed
Inactive perimenopausal women did a 16 week exercise programme, and quality-adjusted life years improved slightly more than controls but the difference was not statistically significant.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 150 women · 16 weeks · 2019PerimenopausalCited 5 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
Postmenopausal and perimenopausal women received 5 health coaching sessions over 4 months; coaching reduced menopausal symptoms and depression and improved quality of life but did not change physical activity.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 94 women · 16 weeks · 2022Midlife womenCited 5 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
Women with menopause symptoms did an unsupervised physical activity program four times weekly for six months, and the intervention improved cardiorespiratory fitness, lean muscle mass and quality of life cost effectively.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 151 women · 26 weeks · 2015Midlife womenCited 4 timesPubMed
In 320 perimenopausal women with cardiovascular risk factors, an educational workshop intervention increased physical activity and mental quality of life and prevented weight gain over 12 months versus mailed information.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 320 women · 52 weeks · 2017PerimenopausalCited 3 timesPubMed
Peri and postmenopausal women with hot flushes using DVD-based or social-support exercise programs for a year showed a small quality-of-life gain, with social support likely cost-effective.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 261 women · 52 weeks · 2017Midlife womenCited 3 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis did a 4-month sedentary-behavior reduction program; it did not change sedentary time, activity, or most cardiometabolic and quality of life measures.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 103 women · 16 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
In a 6-month home-based physical activity pilot study including postmenopausal grandmothers, activity increased but life satisfaction scores did not improve compared to controls.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 11 women · 26 weeks · 2005Midlife womenCited 6 timesPubMed
Women aged 40 to 65 followed a 12 week web-based lifestyle program including exercise goal-setting, and reported reduced anxiety, depression, hot flushes and sexual dysfunction.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 225 women · 12 weeks · 2015Midlife womenCited 27 timesPubMed
In 1440 postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer, those reporting higher physical activity had longer progression-free survival, fewer treatment side effects, and better quality of life and fatigue.
Reported an improvementCohort study · 1,440 women · 2024PostmenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
In breast cancer survivors aged 35 to 68 starting a one year exercise trial, higher physical activity correlated with better quality of life, while fatigue and depression were linked to worse quality of life.
Reported an improvementCross-sectional study · 537 women · 2011Midlife womenCited 75 timesPubMed
In a survey of women aged 46 to 55, regularly active women reported better health related quality of life, but exercise status was not linked to vasomotor symptom scores.
Reported an improvementCross-sectional study · 1,206 women · 2007Midlife womenCited 50 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 six month community exercise program for perimenopausal and menopausal women improved quality of life and physical condition, especially aerobic fitness, strength and balance, versus inactive controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 26 weeks · 2022Midlife womenCited 6 timesPubMed
In 48 peri and postmenopausal women, 8 weeks of using an app providing exercise coaching and information improved quality of life scores and reduced anxiety and somatic symptoms compared to a waitlist group.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 48 women · 8 weeks · 2024Midlife womenCited 1 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal breast cancer survivors on aromatase inhibitors self-reported leisure, strength, and walking activity; about half met activity guidelines, and activity level was not linked to quality of life scores.
No difference foundCross-sectional study · 170 women · 2021PostmenopausalCited 11 timesPubMed
In a 52-week pilot study of 50 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, a home exercise app produced greater gains in hip bone density and quality of life than a pamphlet.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 50 women · 52 weeks · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
In 102 postmenopausal women aged 50 to 79, time spent in light intensity physical activity correlated with better quality of life scores, while vigorous activity did not.
Reported an improvementCross-sectional study · 102 women · 2020PostmenopausalCited 7 timesPubMed
A 6-week health education and exercise program for Japanese menopausal women improved general health perception and physical quality of life but did not improve climacteric symptoms.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 39 women · 6 weeks · 2009Midlife womenCited 10 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
In 200 postmenopausal Iranian women aged 45 to 55, confidence and emotional factors predicted starting and sticking with regular physical activity linked to menopausal quality of life.
Direction not statedCross-sectional study · 200 women · 2022PostmenopausalCited 4 timesPubMed
In 27 postmenopausal breast cancer survivors, higher physical activity correlated with greater vigor and vitality, but no relationship was found between activity level and bone density.
Reported an improvementCross-sectional study · 27 women · 2002PostmenopausalCited 10 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
Midlife women who had done a walking and yoga trial were surveyed two years later; increased physical activity and fewer menopausal symptoms were linked to higher menopause-related quality of life.
Reported an improvementOther · 2009Midlife womenCited 79 timesPubMed
In interviews after a 6 month physical activity trial, menopausal women reported improved hot flushes, night sweats, sleep and psychological wellbeing from being physically active.
Reported an improvementOther · 17 women · 26 weeks · 2020Midlife womenCited 22 timesPubMed
A review of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis found most studies reported exercise improved quality of life and physical domains like muscle strength and balance.
Reported an improvementOther · 2014PostmenopausalCited 11 timesPubMed
This review reported that exercise interventions in postmenopausal breast cancer patients on aromatase inhibitors improved body composition, joint pain, and overall quality of life.
Reported an improvementOther · 2020PostmenopausalCited 4 timesPubMed
A narrative review of psychological and mind-body approaches, including yoga, found empirical support for improving quality of life and symptoms like hot flushes and sleep during menopause.
Reported an improvementOther · 2024Midlife womenCited 3 timesPubMed
In menopausal women, higher physical activity was linked to fewer menopause symptoms, which in turn related to better quality of life, in a modelling study of 86 women.
Reported an improvementOther · 86 women · 2025Midlife womenPubMed
A review synthesized evidence on combining structured exercise with functional foods and supplements like vitamin D in postmenopausal women, finding the clinical evidence for bone and quality of life benefits remains heterogeneous.
Mixed resultsOther · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed