OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of physical activity on the quality of life and symptoms in a group of postmenopausal women. METHODS: A case-control study involving 197 postmenopausal women at the age of 50 to 65: 132 sedentary and 65 regularly practicing light to moderate aerobic physical exercises. The quality of life and climacteric symptoms were verified using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS). To fulfill the analysis, a multivariate analysis was performed through multiple linear regression. RESULTS: The physically active group showed a significantly better quality of life in all the domains that compose the MRS instrument: somatovegetative, symptoms (p<0.01), psychological (p<0.01) and genitourinary and sexual symptoms (p<0.01). Moderate to severe symptoms showed up in approximately 63.6% of the sedentary group and 33.4% of the physically active group. The cardio-respiratory capacity was more clearly expressed in the physically active group in relation to the sedentary (26.5±7.0 ml/Kg/min and 20.2±7.8 ml/kg/min, respectively). The predictive factors of quality of life in the current study were the confirmation of regular physical activity (p<0.01) and the family income (p<0.01). The confirmation of regular physical activity and as higher was the family income, better was the quality of life scores. CONCLUSION: In the present study, the regular physical activity of light to moderate intensity had a positive influence on the quality of life and the intensity of climacteric symptoms. The family per capita income was the other factor significantly associated with these variables.
Climacteric; Menopause; Quality of life; Physical exercise; Woman's aging