title: The effectiveness of exercise as treatment for vasomotor menopausal symptoms: randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effectiveness of exercise as treatment for vasomotor menopausal symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three-group randomised controlled trial, two exercise interventions and a control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary Care, West Midlands UK.
  
  
  METHODS
  Perimenopausal and postmenopausal women experiencing at least five hot flushes/night sweats per day and not taken MHT in previous 3 months were recruited from 23 general practices.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants in both exercise interventions groups were offered two face-to-face consultations with a physical activity facilitator to support engagement in regular exercise. In addition, one exercise group received a menopause-specific information DVD and written materials to encourage regular exercise and the other exercise group was offered the opportunity to attend exercise social support groups in their communities. Interventions lasted 6 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary outcome was frequency of hot flushes/night sweats at 6-month up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred and sixty-one women were randomised (n = 87 per group). Neither of the exercise intervention groups reported significantly less frequent hot flushes/night sweats per week than controls (exercise-DVD versus control: -8.9, 95% CI -20.0 to 2.2; exercise-social support versus control: -5.2, 95% CI -16.7 to 6.3).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This trial indicates that exercise is not an effective treatment for hot flushes/night sweats. Contrary to current clinical guidance, women should not be advised that exercise will relieve their vasomotor menopausal symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Clinical Sciences, School of Health and Population Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Daley
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Roalfe
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stokes-Lampard
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rees
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: MacArthur
mesh_terms: D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D064887:Observational Studies as Topic; D011320:Primary Health Care; D013546:Sweating; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: Exercise; hot flushes; menopause; night sweats; primary care