Determinants of Physical Activity in Postmenopausal Women

Postmenopausal women aged 45-64 years

Participants' height, body weight, and waist circumference will be measured. Body mass index will be calculated by dividing body weight by the square of height in meters, and waist-to-height ratio will be calculated by dividing waist circumference by height.

The multinational validity and reliability findings of this questionnaire, developed by an international working group, were published by Craig et al. The Turkish validity and reliability study was conducted by Sağlam et al. The questionnaire provides information about walking, moderate-intensity and vigorous-intensity physical activity, and time spent sitting over the last seven days.

The scale, developed by Secord and Jourard, assesses an individual's satisfaction with different parts of the body and bodily functions. The Turkish validity and reliability study was conducted by Hovardaoğlu. The Turkish form consists of 40 items rated on a five-point Likert scale. The total score ranges from 40 to 200, with higher scores indicating decreased satisfaction with the body.

The international versions and psychometric properties of this scale, developed to assess the severity of menopause-related complaints, were published by Heinemann et al. The Turkish validity and reliability study was conducted by Can Gürkan. The scale consists of 11 items assessing somatic, psychological, and urogenital complaints. Each item is scored from 0 to 4, and the total score ranges from 0 to 44. Higher scores indicate a greater burden of menopausal symptoms.

The Turkish adaptation and validity and reliability study of the scale, developed by Rosenberg, was conducted by Çuhadaroğlu. In this study, the 10-item section of the scale assessing self-esteem will be used. The original scoring key of the Turkish adaptation will be followed; the direction and score range of the total score to be used will be finalized before data analysis.

Handgrip strength will be assessed using a Jamar hand dynamometer. The participant will be positioned in an upright seated posture with the arm alongside the trunk, the elbow flexed at 90°, and the forearm supported on a horizontal surface. The measurement will be performed three times for each hand, with a rest period of 30-60 seconds between consecutive trials. During each trial, the participant will be verbally encouraged to produce maximal grip force. The highest value obtained from the three measurements for each hand will be recorded in kilograms (kg).

Lower extremity functional performance will be assessed using the 30-Second Sit-to-Stand Test. After 1-2 practice trials and a 30-60 second rest, participants will perform the test on a standard armless chair (seat height 45 cm) with arms crossed over the chest, standing up fully and sitting down as many times as possible in 30 seconds. The number of correct repetitions will be recorded, and participants may stop if they feel excessive fatigue. Sit-to-stand (STS) muscle power will be calculated in watts (W) using the equation defined by Alcazar et al., and relative STS muscle power (W/kg) will be obtained by dividing it by body weight.