Long-term effects of exercise in postmenopausal women: 16-year results of the Erlangen Fitness and Osteoporosis Prevention Study (EFOPS)

Objective: Multimorbidity related to menopause and/or increased age will put healthcare systems in western nations under ever-greater strain. Effective strategies to prevent diseases are thus of high priority and should be started earlier in life. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the long-term effect of exercise on different important health parameters in initially early postmenopausal women over a 16-year period. Methods: In 1998, 137 early postmenopausal women with osteopenia living in Erlangen-Nürnberg were included in the study. Eighty-six women joined the exercise group (EG) and conducted two supervised group and two home training sessions per week, whereas the control group (CG: n = 51) maintained their physical activity level. Primary outcome parameters were clinical overall fractures incidence; secondary study endpoint was Framingham study-based 10-year risk of coronary death/myocardial infarction and low back pain. Results: In 2014, 59 women of the EG and 46 women of the CG were included in the 16-year follow-up analysis. Framingham study-based 10-year risk of myocardial infarction/coronary death increased significantly (P 
Source: Menopause - Category: OBGYN Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research