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Do physical activity levels influence the cardiovascular‐related physiological characteristics of postmenopausal women?
Author(s) -
Barnett Fiona
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
australasian journal on ageing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.63
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 1741-6612
pISSN - 1440-6381
DOI - 10.1111/j.1741-6612.2009.00389.x
Subject(s) - cardiorespiratory fitness , medicine , postmenopausal women , anthropometry , blood pressure , physical therapy , physical activity , physical fitness , disease
Aim: This study aimed to determine whether cardiovascular‐related physiological differences existed among postmenopausal women in relation to their physical activity levels. Methods: Participants were postmenopausal women ( n = 101) resident in North Queensland. A self‐report questionnaire determined recent exercise history. Anthropometric and physiological measures were obtained. Participants also performed a six‐minute graded exercise test to determine cardiorespiratory fitness. Results: Compared with the women who exercised, those women who did not exercise had a lower level of cardiorespiratory fitness ( P = 0.00) and higher resting diastolic blood pressure ( P = 0.01), BMI ( P = 0.00) and WHR ( P = 0.02). Discriminant function analysis found that a combination of BMI and cardiorespiratory fitness discriminated between the two groups. Conclusions: Postmenopausal women who performed moderate‐intensity physical activity had more favourable cardiovascular‐related physiological characteristics. Health professionals should encourage more postmenopausal women to participate in moderate‐intensity activity to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.