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Sedentary lifestyle in middle-aged women is associated with severe menopausal symptoms and obesity

Blümel, Juan E. MD, PhD; Fica, Juan PhD; Chedraui, Peter MD, PhD; Mezones-Holguín, Edward MSc; Zuñiga, María C. PhD; Witis, Silvina PhD; Vallejo, María S. PhD; Tserotas, Konstantinos MSc; Sánchez, Hugo MD; Onatra, William PhD; Ojeda, Eliana MD; Mostajo, Desireé PhD; Monterrosa, Alvaro PhD; Lima, Selva MD; Martino, Mabel PhD; Hernández-Bueno, José A. MD; Gómez, Gustavo MSc; Espinoza, María T. PhD; Flores, Daniel MD; Calle, Andrés MSc; Bravo, Luz M. MD; Benítez, Zully MD; Bencosme, Ascanio MD; Barón, Germán PhD; Aedo, Sócrates PhDfor the Collaborative Group for Research of the Climacteric in Latin America

doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000000575
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Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between sedentary lifestyle and the severity of menopausal symptoms and obesity in middle-aged women.

Methods: The Menopause Rating Scale, the Goldberg Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Athens Insomnia Scale were administered to 6,079 Latin American women aged 40 to 59 years. Sedentary lifestyle was defined as fewer than three weekly, 30-minute periods of physical activity.

Results: Sedentary women had more severe menopausal symptoms (total Menopause Rating Scale score: 9.57 ± 6.71 vs 8.01 ± 6.27 points, P < 0.0001) and more depressive symptoms (Goldberg), anxiety (Goldberg), and insomnia (Athens Scale) compared with non-sedentary women. They also had greater mean waist circumference (86.2 ± 12.3 vs 84.3 ± 1.8 cm, P < 0.0001) and a higher prevalence of obesity (20.9% vs 14.3%, P < 0.0001). Logistic regression analysis showed that both obesity (odds ratio [OR] 1.52; 95% CI, 1.32-1.76) and severe menopausal symptoms (OR 1.28; 95% CI, 1.06-1.53), including insomnia and depressive mood, were positively associated with a sedentary lifestyle. Having a stable partner (OR 0.85; 95% CI, 0.76-0.96), using hormone therapy (OR 0.75; 95% CI, 0.64-0.87) and having a higher educational level (OR 0.66; 95% CI, 0.60-0.74) were negatively related to sedentary lifestyle.

Conclusions: There was a high prevalence of sedentary lifestyle in this middle-aged Latin American female sample which was associated with more severe menopausal symptoms and obesity.

1Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile

2Clínica AVANSALUD, Santiago de Chile, Chile

3Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Hospital Enrique C. Sotomayor, Guayaquil, Ecuador

4Instituto Nacional de Salud, Lima, Perú

5Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina

6Hospital de Clínicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina

7Universidad de Panamá, Panamá

8Clínica SOLCA, Machala, Ecuador

9Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales, Bogotá, Colombia

10Universidad Andina del Cusco, Cusco, Perú

11UDIME, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia

12Universidad de Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia

13Facultad de Medicina CLAEH, Punta del Este, Uruguay

14Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina

15Atención Médica Integral para la Mujer, Naucalpan, México

16Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia

17Instituto de Endocrinología, Cochabamba, Bolivia

18Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, Chile

19Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador

20Universidad de Guadalajara, Gaudalajara, México

21Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Asunción, Paraguay

22Hospital Metropolitano de Santiago, Santiago de los Caballeros, República Dominicana

23Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia.

Address correspondence to: Juan E. Blümel, MD, PhD, Departamento Medicina Sur, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Orquídeas 1068, Dpto 302, PO Box 7510258, Providencia, Santiago de Chile, Chile. E-mail: juan.blumel@redsalud.gov.cl

Received 6 April, 2015

Revised 13 October, 2015

Accepted 13 October, 2015

Funding/support: None reported.

Financial disclosure/conflicts of interest: None reported.

© 2016 by The North American Menopause Society.