title: Long-term effect of physical activity on health-related quality of life among menopausal women: a 4-year follow-up study to a randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to explore the long-term effects of physical activity intervention on quality of life (QoL) 4 years after an original randomised controlled trial (RCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort study after an RCT.
  
  
  METHODS
  95 of the 159 women from the original RCT participated in weight, height and waist circumference measurements, performed the UKK 2 km Walk Test and completed the SF-36 Health Survey questionnaire. Multilevel mixed regression models were performed in order to compare the original and current group in an RCT setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  There were 159 participants in the original RCT; 2.5 years later, 102 of the women responded to a questionnaire and 4-year after the trial, there were 95 respondents. The inclusion criteria in the original RCT were: being symptomatic, experiencing daily hot flushes, age between 40 and 63 years, not using hormone therapy now or in the past 3 months, sedentary lifestyle and having last menstruated 3-36 months earlier.
  
  
  METHODS
  Health-related QoL as measured with the SF-36 instrument.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women in the intervention group had a significantly higher probability of improved physical functioning (OR 1.41; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.99) as compared with women in the control group. In addition, women in the intervention group had higher odds of good role functioning (OR 1.21; 95% CI 0.88 to 1.67), physical health (OR 1.33; 95% CI 0.96 to 1.84) and general health (OR 1.14; 95% CI 0.81 to 1.62), relative to women in the control group, although the differences did not reach statistical significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women in the intervention group showed positive long-term effects on physical and mental dimensions of QoL after 4 years.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ISRCTN54690027.
authors.affiliation: UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, Tampere, Finland Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Kirsi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mansikkamäki
authors.affiliation: UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, Tampere, Finland School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Jani
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Raitanen
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Clas-Håkan
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Nygård
authors.affiliation: Tampere University Central Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Eija
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tomás
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Reetta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rutanen
authors.affiliation: UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Riitta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Luoto
mesh_terms: D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: follow-up; long-term effect; menopausal women; physical activity; randomised controlled trial