Sedentary middle-aged Hispanic women in Latin America encounter worse menopause symptoms than their more active peers.
A study analyzed data from the health records of 6,079 women, ages 40 to 59, who attended urban health centers in a number of Latin American countries. The women completed standard questionnaires about depression, anxiety, insomnia, and menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes and joint pains, depressed mood and anxiety, and urogenital symptoms. The women also answered other questions, such as what their activity level and menopause status were.
Women were considered to be “sedentary” if they reported fewer than 3 weekly sessions of physical activity, such as walking, jogging, or swimming, that lasted 30 minutes or longer.
The study found that 16% of “sedentary” women had severe menopause symptoms compared with 11% of active women. The sedentary women also had higher total menopause scores, and more of them had any of the individual symptoms than the active women did. The sedentary women were also more likely to be obese and to have higher scores on the depression, anxiety, and insomnia scales.
More on this story on the Medical News Today website
