In this review we found that exercise interventions ( or lifestyle activities ) that improved cardiorespiratory exercise capacity showed the most positive impact on physical health .
CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that programs should facilitate and support women to participate in regular exercise by embedding physical activity programs in public health initiatives , by developing home-based exercise programs that require few re sources and by creating interventions that can incorporate physical activity within a healthy lifestyle .
The review also suggests that clinicians should consider prescribing exercise in a tailored manner for older women to ensure that it is of a high enough intensity to obtain the positive sustained effects of exercise
BACKGROUND Participation in regular physical activity is among the most promising and cost effective strategies to reduce physical and cognitive decline and premature death .
However , confusion remains about the amount , frequency , and duration of physical activity that is likely to provide maximum benefit as well as the way in which interventions should be delivered .
AIMS This paper aim ed to review research on the impact of leisure-time and general physical activity levels on physical and cognitive decline in postmenopausal women .
Dose Response to Exercise in Women aged 45-75 yr (DREW): design and rationale.
INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE Physical inactivity in postmenopausal women contributes to a rise in atherogenic risk factors associated with the metabolic syndrome . Although regular physical activity positively contributes to health , inactivity progressively increases with age . The Dose Response to Exercise in Women aged 45 - 75 yr ( DREW ) study is design ed to investigate the effect of different amounts of exercise training on cardiorespiratory fitness and risk factors for cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) in postmenopausal women at moderately increased risk of CVD . METHODS DREW will recruit 450 sedentary , healthy , postmenopausal women with a body mass index of 25 - 40 kg.m-2 , resting systolic blood pressure ( BP ) of 120 - 159 mm Hg , and a resting diastolic BP of < or = 99 mm Hg . Laboratory and self-report measures completed at baseline and 6 months include maximal oxygen consumption ( .VO2max ) , resting BP , anthropometry , dietary habits , physical activity history , medication use , menstrual history , personal and family medical history , and fasting HDL cholesterol , LDL cholesterol , triglycerides , and glucose . Eligible participants are r and omly assigned to a nonexercise group or one of three exercise groups . Participants exercise 3 to 4x wk-1 at a heart rate equivalent to 50 % of .VO2max expending 4 , 8 , or 12 kcal.kg-1.wk-1 , depending on group assignment . This study will allow quantification of possible dose-response relations ( 50 % , 100 % , and 150 % of the consensus physical activity recommendation ) between exercise training and study outcomes . CONCLUSION DREW can make important contributions to our underst and ing of the effects of physical activity in postmenopausal women and help refine public health and clinical recommendations for this group
In this review we found that exercise interventions ( or lifestyle activities ) that improved cardiorespiratory exercise capacity showed the most positive impact on physical health .
CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that programs should facilitate and support women to participate in regular exercise by embedding physical activity programs in public health initiatives , by developing home-based exercise programs that require few re sources and by creating interventions that can incorporate physical activity within a healthy lifestyle .
The review also suggests that clinicians should consider prescribing exercise in a tailored manner for older women to ensure that it is of a high enough intensity to obtain the positive sustained effects of exercise
BACKGROUND Participation in regular physical activity is among the most promising and cost effective strategies to reduce physical and cognitive decline and premature death .
However , confusion remains about the amount , frequency , and duration of physical activity that is likely to provide maximum benefit as well as the way in which interventions should be delivered .
AIMS This paper aim ed to review research on the impact of leisure-time and general physical activity levels on physical and cognitive decline in postmenopausal women .