Impact of walking on eating behaviors and quality of life of premenopausal and early postmenopausal obese women.
OBJECTIVE
Aerobic exercise is known to improve health-related quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to compare the effects of a 16-week walking program on eating behaviors and QoL between late premenopausal and early postmenopausal obese and sedentary women, once chronological aging is taken into account.


METHODS
Sixteen women 49 +/- 2 years old and 14 women 53 +/- 2 years old, whose body mass index ranged between 29 and 35 kg/m, were subjected to three sessions per week of 45-minute walking at 60% of their heart rate reserve. Fat mass and lean mass (bioelectrical impedance), cardiorespiratory fitness estimated by maximum oxygen consumption (2-km walking test), eating behaviors (Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire), and QoL, estimated by the Short Form-36 Health Survey, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Perceived Stress Scale-10 questionnaires, were recorded before and after exercise.


RESULTS
With the exception of a higher attitude of self-regulation in postmenopausal than in premenopausal women (P = 0.05), no between-group differences were observed in body composition, eating behaviors, and QoL at baseline. In all participants, body weight and fat mass decreased, whereas cardiorespiratory fitness increased after walking (0.001 < P < 0.0001). Situational susceptibility was the only eating behavior reduced after training in all women (P = 0.02). Neither the sleep quality index nor the perceived stress score changed in response to endurance exercise. Finally, in all women, Short Form-36 physical and mental scores increased after walking (0.001 < P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Despite modest body weight and fat mass losses, a 16-week walking program seems to be sufficient to improve physical and mental well-being, irrespective of menopause status.
Riesco
Eléonor
E
Division of Kinesiology, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Québec, Canada G1V 0A6.
Tessier
Sébastien
S
Pérusse
Francine
F
Turgeon
Sabrina
S
Tremblay
Angelo
A
Weisnagel
John
J
Doré
Jean
J
Mauriège
Pascale
P
D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000628:therapy*; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000523:psychology*; D017697:Premenopause / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking / Q000523:psychology*; D015431:Weight Loss