Evidence was insufficient to show whether exercise is an effective treatment for vasomotor menopausal symptoms .
One small study suggested that HT is more effective than exercise .
Evidence was insufficient to show the relative effectiveness of exercise when compared with HT or yoga
BACKGROUND Evidence suggests that many perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women will experience menopausal symptoms ; hot flushes are the most common .
Symptoms caused by fluctuating levels of oestrogen may be alleviated by hormone therapy ( HT ) , but a marked global decline in its use has result ed from concerns about the risks and benefits of HT .
Consequently , many women are seeking alternatives .
As large numbers of women are choosing not to take HT , it is increasingly important to identify evidence -based lifestyle modifications that have the potential to reduce vasomotor menopausal symptoms .
OBJECTIVES To examine the effectiveness of any type of exercise intervention in the management of vasomotor symptoms in symptomatic perimenopausal and postmenopausal women .
Physical activity, menopause, and quality of life: the role of affect and self-worth across time
Objective : Physical activity has been shown to enhance quality of life ( QOL ) ; however , few investigations of these effects exist in women undergoing the menopausal transition . The present study examined the long-term effects of physical activity on menopause-related QOL and tested the mediating effects of physical self-worth and positive affect in this relationship . Methods : Middle-aged women previously enrolled in a 4-month r and omized controlled trial involving walking and yoga , and a control group completed a follow-up mail-in survey 2 years after the end of the trial . The survey included a battery of psychological and physical activity measures , including measures of menopausal symptoms and menopause-related QOL . Longitudinal linear panel analysis was conducted within a covariance modeling framework to test whether physical self-worth and positive affect mediated the physical activity-QOL relationship over time . Results : At the end of the trial , physical activity and menopausal symptoms were related to physical self-worth and positive affect , and in turn , greater levels of physical self-worth and positive affect were associated with higher levels of menopause-related QOL . Analyses indicated that increases in physical activity  and decreases in menopausal symptoms over the 2-year period were related to increases in physical self-worth ( & bgr;s = 0.23 and −0.52 , physical activity and menopausal symptoms , respectively ) and , for symptoms , also to decreased positive affect ( & bgr ; = −0.47 ) , and both physical self-worth ( & bgr ; = 0.34 ) and affect ( & bgr ; = 0.43 ) directly influenced enhancements in QOL ( R2 = 0.775 ) . Conclusions : The findings support the position that the effects of physical activity on QOL are mediated , in part , by intermediate psychological outcomes and that physical activity can have long-term benefits for women undergoing the menopausal transition
Evidence was insufficient to show whether exercise is an effective treatment for vasomotor menopausal symptoms .
One small study suggested that HT is more effective than exercise .
Evidence was insufficient to show the relative effectiveness of exercise when compared with HT or yoga
BACKGROUND Evidence suggests that many perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women will experience menopausal symptoms ; hot flushes are the most common .
Symptoms caused by fluctuating levels of oestrogen may be alleviated by hormone therapy ( HT ) , but a marked global decline in its use has result ed from concerns about the risks and benefits of HT .
Consequently , many women are seeking alternatives .
As large numbers of women are choosing not to take HT , it is increasingly important to identify evidence -based lifestyle modifications that have the potential to reduce vasomotor menopausal symptoms .
OBJECTIVES To examine the effectiveness of any type of exercise intervention in the management of vasomotor symptoms in symptomatic perimenopausal and postmenopausal women .