A1 Journal article (refereed)
Metabolic health, menopause, and physical activity : a 4-year follow-up study (2022)

Hyvärinen, M., Juppi, H.-K., Taskinen, S., Karppinen, J. E., Karvinen, S., Tammelin, T. H., Kovanen, V., Aukee, P., Kujala, U. M., Rantalainen, T., Sipilä, S., & Laakkonen, E. K. (2022). Metabolic health, menopause, and physical activity : a 4-year follow-up study. International Journal of Obesity, 46(3), 544-554. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-021-01022-x

JYU authors or editors

Hyvärinen, Matti
Juppi, Hanna-Kaarina
Taskinen, Sara
Karppinen, Jari
Karvinen, Sira
Kovanen, Vuokko
Kujala, Urho
Rantalainen, Timo
Sipilä, Sarianna
Laakkonen, Eija

Publication details

All authors or editors: Hyvärinen, Matti; Juppi, Hanna-Kaarina; Taskinen, Sara; Karppinen, Jari E.; Karvinen, Sira; Tammelin, Tuija H.; Kovanen, Vuokko; Aukee, Pauliina; Kujala, Urho M.; Rantalainen, Timo; et al.

Journal or series: International Journal of Obesity

ISSN: 0307-0565

eISSN: 1476-5497

Publication year: 2022

Publication date: 20/11/2021

Volume: 46

Issue number: 3

Pages range: 544-554

Publisher: Nature Publishing Group

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-021-01022-x

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/78775

Abstract

Background
In women, metabolic health deteriorates after menopause, and the role of physical activity (PA) in mitigating the change is not completely understood. This study investigates the changes in indicators of metabolic health around menopause and evaluates whether PA modulates these changes.

Methods
Longitudinal data of 298 women aged 48–55 years at baseline participating in the ERMA and EsmiRs studies was used. Mean follow-up time was 3.8 (SD 0.1) years. Studied indicators of metabolic health were total and android fat mass, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, blood glucose, triglycerides, serum total cholesterol, and high- (HDL-C) and low-density (LDL-C) lipoprotein cholesterol. PA was assessed by accelerometers and questionnaires. The participants were categorized into three menopausal groups: PRE-PRE (pre- or perimenopausal at both timepoints, n = 56), PRE-POST (pre- or perimenopausal at baseline, postmenopausal at follow-up, n = 149), and POST-POST (postmenopausal at both timepoints, n = 93). Analyses were carried out using linear and Poisson mixed-effect models.

Results
At baseline, PA associated directly with HDL-C and inversely with LDL-C and all body adiposity variables. An increase was observed in total (B = 1.72, 95% CI [0.16, 3.28]) and android fat mass (0.26, [0.06, 0.46]), SBP (9.37, [3.34, 15.39]), and in all blood-based biomarkers in the PRE-POST group during the follow-up. The increase tended to be smaller in the PRE-PRE and POST-POST groups compared to the PRE-POST group, except for SBP. The change in PA associated inversely with the change in SBP (−2.40, [−4.34, −0.46]) and directly with the change in WHR (0.72, [0.05, 1.38]).

Conclusions
In middle-aged women, menopause may accelerate the changes in multiple indicators of metabolic health. PA associates with healthier blood lipid profile and body composition in middle-aged women but does not seem to modulate the changes in most of the studied metabolic health indicators during the menopausal transition.

Keywords: menopause; metabolic syndrome; risk factors; physical activeness; follow-up study

Free keywords: metabolic syndrome; risk factors

Fields of science: