Keywords
Menopause; Hypertension; Physical Activity; Estrogen, Women's Health; Cardiovascular Health
Abstract
Hypertension significantly impacts menopausal women due to a decrease in estrogen levels. That is due to estrogen level changes, causing many metabolic alterations, one of which is increased vascular resistance, leading to hypertension. Advanced treatments are made available to help alleviate the condition; however, lifestyle modifications—especially physical activity—show a critical role in hypertension control. This thesis explored the effect of physical activity as a non-pharmacological, lifestyle intervention on hypertension in women by menopausal status (pre-, peri-, and post-menopausal). This study used a secondary analysis with a retrospective design. Physical activity was defined using the American Heart Association's (AHA) guidelines (i.e., not met, 150 minutes of moderate-, and 75 minutes of high-intensity weekly physical activity) and logistic regression models were used to determine the likelihood of hypertension among pre-, peri-, and post-menopausal women participating in the All of Us Research Program. The study included 44,573 women, most of whom were White, heterosexual, with a college degree or higher, married, employed, and insured. The data identified a statistically significant decreased likelihood of hypertension across all menopausal statuses, inferring twice the reduction in the likelihood of hypertension is sustained during and after menopause in women who meet the AHA recommendations for physical activity. Weekly high-intensity physical activity consistently drove twice the protective effect, reducing the likelihood of hypertension by 60% in pre-menopausal women, 62% in perimenopausal women, and 50% in post-menopausal women. Implications for research, policy, and practice are discussed. Physical activity is a non-medical intervention that is viable for hypertension management in menopausal women, showing more significant benefits among younger women. However, dietary modifications and estrogen hormone replacement therapy must be used as complementary interventions for postmenopausal women, as there is a decline in estrogen and its effectiveness with age.
Thesis Completion Year
2025
Thesis Completion Semester
Spring
Thesis Chair
Castillo, Humberto
College
College of Health Professions and Sciences
Department
Health Sciences
Thesis Discipline
Women's Health
Language
English
Access Status
Open Access
Length of Campus Access
None
Campus Location
Orlando (Main) Campus
STARS Citation
Naguib, Meriam F., "Physical Activity and Hypertension Outcomes Around Menopause in Adult Women—A Secondary Analysis of the All of Us Research Program" (2025). Honors Undergraduate Theses. 340.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hut2024/340
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