Body Composition Changes Following a Concurrent Exercise Intervention in Perimenopausal Women: The FLAMENCO Project Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

We assessed the effects of a 16-week primary-care-based exercise program on body composition in perimenopausal women. The women (n = 150) were randomized into control (n = 75) or exercise (n = 75) groups. Exercise was provided in a 16-week (60 min/session, 3 days/week) concurrent program. Body composition was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. These are secondary analyses of the FLAMENCO Project (Clinical Trials Reference NCT02358109). In the intention-to-treat analyses, the control group showed no changes in body mass index (BMI) between post- and pre-test, whereas the exercise group showed a 0.75 kg/m2 decrease in BMI (95% CI: −1.29 to −0.22; p = 0.006). Gynoid and android fat mass in control group decreased by 98.3 g and 46.1 g after the 16 weeks, whereas they decreased by 213 g and 139 g in the exercise group, respectively (95% CI: −209 to −3.86; p = 0.042 and 95% CI: −164 to −26.9; p = 0.007, respectively). The control group decreased their pelvis bone mineral content by 2.85 g in the post-test compared with the pre-test, whereas the exercise group increased it by 1.13 g (95% CI: 0.93 to 7.81; p = 0.013). Per-protocol analyses showed similar results. These analyses suggest that the exercise intervention decreased fat depositions and BMI. Exercise might improve bone mineral content in specific areas such as the pelvis.