Correlation between physical activity and cardiovascular risk factors in postmenopausal women from Colombia Caribbean

Postmenopausal period disturbances are more frequently observed in women with unhealthy lifestyles, insufficient physical activity is related to increased cardiovascular risk (CVR). There is a lack of evidence-based information on physical activity in postmenopausal women and its relationship with CVR factors, including D vitamin serum levels. OBJECTIVE: To determine the physical activity level in postmenopausal women from the Colombia Caribbean and establish relationships between the physical activity and biochemical and anthropometric CVR factors. METHODS: A correlational descriptive study in which 183 postmenopausal women were linked for convenience sampling. Level of physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire) and their relationships with anthropometric variables, blood pressure, lipid profile, glycemic and serum vitamin D were evaluated. RESULTS: According to the physical activity, 82.5% of women were classified as inactive, 9.3% as insufficiently active and only 8.2% as physically active. Physical inactivity was significantly related to higher glucose, triglycerides, and total cholesterol serum levels (P < .05). The prevalence of the women with vitamin D levels less than 30 ng/mL were of 69.9%. The women physically active and with eutrophic nutritional condition had more high levels of vitamin D. CONCLUSIONS: 82.5% of the postmenopausal women evaluated were physically inactive and this condition was associated with higher serum levels of glycemic, total cholesterol and triglycerides. Serum vitamin D concentrations were higher in traffic and physically active women.