164 previously low-active midlife women did walking, yoga, or no exercise for 4 months; walking and yoga groups reported improved positive mood and menopause-related quality of life.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 164 women · 16 weeks · 2007Midlife womenCited 138 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with low bone mass did weight-bearing exercise, aerobic dancing and flexibility work three times weekly for 12 months, and spinal bone density stabilized versus decline in controls, with improved fitness and wellbeing.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 124 women · 52 weeks · 1996PostmenopausalCited 104 timesPubMed
Previously low active middle aged women who did a four month walking or yoga program did not improve overall self-esteem but reported gains in esteem related to physical condition and body attractiveness.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 164 women · 16 weeks · 2007Midlife womenCited 42 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with vertebral fractures who did a 6-month home exercise program of stretching, strength training and walking reported better quality of life and balance than controls, with no change in bone density.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 26 weeks · 2003PostmenopausalCited 113 timesPubMed
23 sedentary postmenopausal women did a 6 week walking program then either continued or stopped exercising, with continued exercisers reporting better mood, anxiety and quality of life at follow up.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 23 women · 12 weeks · 2006PostmenopausalCited 37 timesPubMed
In an RCT of 80 menopausal women, one year of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga improved vasomotor, psychosocial and physical quality of life domains more than brisk walking, with no change in reproductive hormones.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 80 women · 52 weeks · 2021Midlife womenCited 13 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
Middle-aged women did 12 weeks of resistance training or walking three times weekly, and resistance training improved body image more than walking.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 60 women · 12 weeks · 1993Midlife womenCited 19 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteopenia did Kinect-based virtual reality training plus daily walking for 24 weeks and showed greater improvements in physical performance and quality of life than walking alone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 52 women · 24 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 9 timesPubMed
In menopausal women aged 50 to 65, a 12 week SaBang-DolGi walking program improved physical measures and mental well-being compared to a control group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 40 women · 12 weeks · 2020Midlife womenCited 9 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 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
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
A home based walking program of 150 minutes per week in 52 women with metastatic breast cancer, mean age 55, was reported feasible and linked to improved general and mental wellbeing.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 52 women · 26 weeks · 2023Midlife womenCited 8 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
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
A protocol describes a 9 month mHealth guided jumping and fast walking program in 120 postmenopausal women to test effects on bone density, with results not yet reported.
Direction not statedOther · 120 women · 36 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 4 timesPubMed
Seven perimenopausal women who played walking football reported physical and mental health benefits, including reduced depressive symptoms and a supportive social environment.
Reported an improvementOther · 7 women · 2025PerimenopausalPubMed