Changes in level of VO2max, blood lipids, and waist circumference in the response to moderate endurance training as a function of ovarian aging.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of moderate endurance training on a set of physiological parameters accompanying menopausal transition.

METHODS

One hundred sixty-eight women participated in the study. The cohort was divided into three subgroups: premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal. A 12-week moderate intensity Nordic Walking program was administered to the cohort. The changes in body mass index (BMI), total fat mass (TF), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides (TGs), and waist circumference (WC) were assessed by means of appropriate statistical methods.

RESULTS

Significant differences are observed in VO2max and cholesterol levels as a function of age, both ovarian and chronological. BMI, TF, LDL, HDL, TGs, and WC also fluctuate, however insignificantly, as a function of age. Administration of a 12-week Nordic Walking program results in significant changes in the parameters studied. The only exception is HDL level in postmenopausal women.

CONCLUSIONS

Significant decreases in BMI, TF, LDL, TGs, and WC and increase in HDL in premenopausal and perimenopausal women indicate the outstanding role the appropriately chosen moderate endurance training may play in the quality of daily life in perimenopausal women.