Intermittent Walking Training and Cardiometabolic Health in Premenopausal and Postmenopausal Women

Effects of a 10-Week Moderate-Intensity Intermittent Walking Training Program on Aerobic Capacity, Cardiometabolic Risk Factors, and Inflammatory Markers in Premenopausal and Postmenopausal Women

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare premenopausal and postmenopausal women regarding the effects of a 10-week moderate-intensity intermittent walking training (MIWT) program on aerobic capacity and selected cardiometabolic and inflammatory markers. The main question it aims to answer is: Does a MIWT program induce differential improvements in aerobic capacity, body composition, lipid profile, and inflammatory markers between premenopausal and postmenopausal women?

Participants in the premenopausal group will perform a 10-week MIWT program, three sessions per week. Participants in the postmenopausal group will perform the same 10-week MIWT program, three sessions per week. Each training session consists of 5 repetitions of 6-minute walking (6MWT) at 60-80% of the baseline 6MWT distance, interspersed by 6 minutes of active recovery between repetitions. Body composition, aerobic capacity (6-minute walk test), heart rate, blood pressure, lipid profile (total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, triglycerides), and C-reactive protein (CRP) will be assessed before and after the intervention in both groups.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Cardiometabolic Health in Premenopausal and Postmenopausal Women
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Moderate-Intensity Intermittent Walking Training (MIWT)

Detailed Description

In premenopausal and postmenopausal women, differences in cardiometabolic profile, body composition, and aerobic capacity are commonly observed, with postmenopausal women generally presenting higher cardiometabolic risk. Regular physical activity is known to improve these parameters; however, the specific effects of moderate-intensity intermittent walking training (MIWT) on the comparison between premenopausal and postmenopausal women remain insufficiently explored.

The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of a 10-week moderate-intensity intermittent walking training (MIWT) program on aerobic capacity, body composition, cardiometabolic risk factors, and inflammatory markers in premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

Thirty-two women were allocated into a premenopausal group (n = 16) and a postmenopausal group (n = 16). Both groups performed a MIWT program three times per week for 10 weeks. Each training session consisted of 5 repetitions of 6-minute walking (6-minute walk test, 6MWT) performed at 60-80% of the baseline 6MWT distance, interspersed by 6 minutes of active recovery between repetitions.

Body composition, aerobic capacity (6MWT), heart rate, blood pressure, lipid profile (total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, triglycerides), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were assessed before and after the intervention in both groups to evaluate changes induced by the training program.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 32
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Wissal Abassi Dr; Phone Number: +21693304684; Email: wissalabassi93@gmail.com

Study Locations

• Tunisia
  • Boulifa
    • El Kef, Boulifa, Tunisia, 7100
      • High Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Kef, University of Jendouba
      • Contact: Wissal Abassi Dr; Phone Number: +21693304684; Email: wissalabassi93@gmail.com

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Women aged 32 to 43 years (premenopausal, with regular menstrual cycles for at least 12 months) or 49 to 65 years (postmenopausal, with absence of menstruation for at least 12 months).

Body mass index (BMI) > 24.9 kg/m².

• For the postmenopausal group: amenorrhea ≥ 12 months.
• For the premenopausal group: regular menstrual cycles for at least 12 months.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, heart failure).
• Presence of metabolic or inflammatory disorders (e.g., uncontrolled diabetes, autoimmune diseases, active infections).

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Premenopausal Women Receiving MIWT Program; Participants in the premenopausal group will perform a 10-week moderate-intensity intermittent walking training (MIWT) program, with three supervised sessions per week. Each session consists of 5 repetitions of 6-minute walking (6-minute walk test, 6MWT) performed at 60-80% of the baseline 6MWT distance, interspersed by 6 minutes of active recovery between repetitions. Body composition, aerobic capacity, heart rate, blood pressure, lipid profile, and C-reactive protein will be assessed before and after the intervention.	Behavioral: Moderate-Intensity Intermittent Walking Training (MIWT); Participants will perform a 10-week moderate-intensity intermittent walking training (MIWT) program, with three supervised sessions per week. Each session consists of 5 repetitions of 6-minute walking (6-minute walk test, 6MWT) performed at 60-80% of the baseline 6MWT distance, interspersed by 6 minutes of active recovery between repetitions. The same intervention is applied to both premenopausal and postmenopausal women.
Experimental: Postmenopausal Women Receiving MIWT Program; Participants in the postmenopausal group will perform the same 10-week moderate-intensity intermittent walking training (MIWT) program, with three supervised sessions per week. Each session consists of 5 repetitions of 6-minute walking (6-minute walk test, 6MWT) performed at 60-80% of the baseline 6MWT distance, interspersed by 6 minutes of active recovery between repetitions. Body composition, aerobic capacity, heart rate, blood pressure, lipid profile, and C-reactive protein will be assessed before and after the intervention.	Behavioral: Moderate-Intensity Intermittent Walking Training (MIWT); Participants will perform a 10-week moderate-intensity intermittent walking training (MIWT) program, with three supervised sessions per week. Each session consists of 5 repetitions of 6-minute walking (6-minute walk test, 6MWT) performed at 60-80% of the baseline 6MWT distance, interspersed by 6 minutes of active recovery between repetitions. The same intervention is applied to both premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Body Mass Index (BMI)	BMI calculated as weight (kg) divided by height squared (m²).	Baseline and after the 10 weeks of the training intervention.
Body Fat Percentage	Total body fat measured by digital scale (Tanita BC-533).	Baseline and after the 10 weeks of the training intervention.
Waist Circumference	Measured at the narrowest point between the rib cage and iliac crest using a tape measure.	Baseline and after the 10 weeks of the training intervention.
Hip Circumference	Measured at the widest point of the hips using a tape measure.	Baseline and after the 10 weeks of the training intervention.
C-Reactive Protein (CRP)	Serum CRP concentration (mg/L).	Baseline and after the 10 weeks of the training intervention.
Total Cholesterol	Serum total cholesterol concentration (mg/dL).	Baseline and after the 10 weeks of the training intervention.
High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Cholesterol	Serum HDL cholesterol concentration (mg/dL).	Baseline and after the 10 weeks of the training intervention.
Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Cholesterol	Serum LDL cholesterol concentration (mg/dL).	Baseline and after the 10 weeks of the training intervention.
Triglycerides	Serum triglyceride concentration (mg/dL).	Baseline and after the 10 weeks of the training intervention.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) Distance	Distance walked in 6 minutes on a 30-meter straight corridor.	Baseline and after the 10 weeks of the training intervention.
Blood Pressure (Systolic and Diastolic)	Measured using an automated arm cuff (Omron BP652).	Baseline and after the 10 weeks of the training intervention.
Resting Heart Rate	Measured using automated device (Omron BP652).	Baseline and after the 10 weeks of the training intervention.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: High Institute of Sports and Physical Education of Kef
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Wissal Abassi, Research Unit "Sport Sciences, Health and Movement"(UR22JS01) High Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Kef, University of Jendouba, 7100 Kef, Tunisia.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): May 21, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 20, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 20, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 21, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 21, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): April 29, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 29, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 21, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Aerobic capacity; Lipid profile; C-reactive protein; Postmenopausal women; Premenopausal women; Cardiometabolic health; Intermittent walking
• Other Study ID Numbers: IW-CardioWomen-2026

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: For confidentiality reasons, all data from this study are available upon request.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No