[Habitual physical activity and cardiovascular risk in post menopause]

To evaluate the prevalence of habitual physical activity and cardiovascular risk in postmenopausal women.

A cross-sectional study was made of 162 women, aged 40-65 years, amenorrheic for at least 12 months, receiving care at the menopause clinic of CAISM/UNICAMP. The women verbally answered the International Physical Activity Questionnaire for assessment of physical activity levels. This instrument evaluates the frequency and duration of activities performed during transportation, at work, at home or in leisure- over the course of a normal week. Women were classified as sedentary, insufficiently active, active or very active. Laboratory tests were carried out to measure total serum cholesterol, high density lipoproteins and fasting glucose. Systolic and diastolic pressure was measured.

The mean age of women in this study was 56.5 years and mean age at menopause was 46 years. Prevalence of physical activity was 83.3% of which 80.8% were classified as active, 2.5% as very active and 16.7% as insufficiently active. Principal activities were performed during transportation and while carrying out household chores. Only 38.3% of women had leisure-time physical activities. In the population, 87.7% of the women presented a Framingham score <10, considered of low cardiovascular risk.

Postmenopausal women show a high prevalence of habitual physical activity and low adherence to physical exercise. Cardiovascular risk was low in the population studied. It is important to encourage these women to practice physical activity compatible with their physical condition, to orient and stimulate them to practice not only their habitual physical activity but also physical exercise.