Minimal exercise can prevent weight gain in menopausal women

Minimal exercise may be all it takes for postmenopausal women to better regulate insulin, maintain metabolic function and help prevent significant weight gain, a new study has shown.

Previous studies have suggested that metabolic function is critical for women to prevent cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes after they reach menopause. Now, new research from the University of Missouri, suggests that minimal exercise may be all it takes for postmenopausal women to better regulate insulin, maintain metabolic function and help prevent significant weight gain. These findings suggest that women can take a proactive approach and may not need to increase their physical activity dramatically to see significant benefits from exercise.

“Diseases and weight gain associated with metabolic dysfunction skyrocket after menopause,” said Vicki Vieira-Potter, Assistant Professor of nutrition and exercise physiology at Missouri University.

“The intent of this research was to determine what role exercise plays in protecting women, specifically less-active women, metabolically as they go through menopause.”

The team of researchers compared how exercise training maintained metabolic function in sedentary rats versus highly active rats. The rats were provided with a running wheel which they could use as much or as little as they wanted. The sedentary rats only ran 1/5^th of the distance that the highly active rats ran but even the limited physical activity still maintained their metabolic function and normalised insulin levels. Moreover, the previously sedentary rats saw a 50 per cent reduction in their fat tissue as a result of that small amount of exercise.

“These findings suggest that any physical activity, even just a small amount, can do wonders in terms of maintaining metabolic function,” Professor Vieira-Potter said. “This is significant for postmenopausal women as they deal with weight gain associated with menopause as well as the increased risk for disease.”

The study is published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.