Abstract

Background: Perimenopause is a transitional phase characterized by hormonal fluctuations that influence anthropometric measures and physical activity behavior, and muscle strength. These alterations can affect physical capabilities and overall health among middle-aged women. Aims: To analyze the link between body mass index (BMI), physical activity, and quadriceps femoris strength among perimenopausal women. Settings and Design: A pilot study was carried out between community-living women in Southern Karnataka. Methods and Materials: Fourteen community-living perimenopausal women aged 40–60 ears were identified and enrolled through convenience sampling. Perimenopausal status was confirmed using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS). Physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire–Short Form (IPAQ-SF), BMI was calculated using standard anthropometric measurements, and quadriceps femoris strength was measured using a Hand-Held Dynamometer (HHD). Statistical Analysis Used: SPSS was used to analyze the dataversion 29.0. Descriptive statistics and Karl Pearson's correlation coefficient were used. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: BMI exhibited ainverse relationship between physical exercise (r=-0.009, p=0.975) and a modest negative relationship with quadriceps strength (r=-0.215, p=0.460). Furthermore, physical activity demonstrated a low positive association with quadriceps strength (r=0.295, p=0.307). However, none of these observed relationships reached statistical significance.

• 1.   Sahu S, Gautam RK. Determinants of body composition among perimenopausal women of Bilaspur district, Chhattisgarh, India. BMC Public Health. 2025;25(1):40.
• 2.   Moore SR, Cabre HE, Smith-Ryan AE. Body composition, physical activity, and menopause symptoms: how do they relate? Menopause. 2023.
• 3.   Keller C, Larkey L, Distefano JK, Boehm-Smith E, Records K, Robillard A, Veres S, Al-Zadjali M, O'Brian AM. Perimenopausal obesity. Journal of women's health. 2010 May;19(5):987- 96.
• 4.   Verma A, Malhotra A, Ranjan P, Kumari A, Chopra S, Khan MA, Kaloiya GS, Singh A, Prakash B, Ahuja M. A comprehensive evaluation of predictors of obesity in women during the perimenopausal period: a systematic review and narrative synthesis. Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews. 2024 Jan 1;18(1):102933.
• 5.   Kurina LM. The effect of menopause on grip and pinch strength: results from the Chicago, Illinois, site of the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation. Am J Epidemiol. 2004;160(5):484–491.
• 6.   Huang C, Luo B, Wang J, Ao Y, Xiong W, Liao S. Depressive symptoms and physical activity among community-dwelling perimenopausal women: a prospective longitudinal study. BMC psychiatry. 2023 Feb 7;23(1):93.
• 7.   Smith-Ryan AE, Hirsch KR, Cabre HE, Gould LM, Gordon AN, Ferrando AA. Menopause transition: a cross-sectional evaluation on muscle size and quality. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2023 Jul;55(7):1258-64.
• 8.   Sirola J, Rikkonen T. Muscle performance after the menopause. British Menopause Society Journal. 2005 Jun 1;11(2):45-50.
• 9.   Ring-Dimitriou S, Steinbacher P, von Duvillard SP, Kaessmann H, Müller E, Sänger AM. Exercise modality and physical fitness in perimenopausal women. European journal of applied physiology. 2009 Mar;105(5):739-47.
• 10.   O'Bryan SJ, Critchlow A, Fuchs CJ, Hiam D, Lamon S. The contribution of age and sex hormones to female neuromuscular function across the adult lifespan. The Journal of Physiology. 2026 Jan;604(2):829-48.
• 11.   Gao HL, Gao HX, Sun FM, Zhang L. Effects of walking on body composition in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Menopause. 2016;23(8):928–934.
• 12.   Dubnov G, Brzezinski A, Berry EM. Weight control and the management of obesity after menopause: the role of physical activity. Maturitas. 2003 Feb 25;44(2):89-101.
• 13.   Ward-Ritacco CL, Adrian AL, Johnson MA, Rogers LQ, Evans EM. Adiposity, physical activity, and muscle quality are independently related to physical function performance in middle-aged postmenopausal women. Menopause. 2014 Oct 1;21(10):1114-21.
• 14.   Paolillo FR, Milan JC, de Godoy Bueno P, Paolillo AR, Borghi-Silva A, Parizotto NA, Arena R, Kurachi C, Bagnato VS. Effects of excess body mass on strength and fatigability of quadriceps in postmenopausal women. Menopause. 2012 May 1;19(5):556-61.
• 15.   Pesonen H, Laakkonen EK, Hautasaari P, Aukee P, Kovanen V, Sipilä S, Finni T, Tarkka IM. Perimenopausal women show modulation of excitatory and inhibitory neuromuscular mechanisms. BMC Women's Health. 2021 Mar 31;21(1):133.
• 16.   Wang X, Yang D, Li J, Jin L, Xia S, Jin F. Association between menopause-related symptoms and muscle mass index among perimenopausal and postmenopausal women and the mediating role of estrogen levels. Front Endocrinol. 2025;16:1628612.
• 17.   Cheng MH, Wang SJ, Yang FY, Wang PH, Fuh JL. Menopause and physical performance: a community-based cross-sectional study. Menopause. 2009;16(5):892–896.
• 18.   da Câmara SM, Zunzunegui MV, Pirkle C, Moreira MA, Maciel ÁC. Menopausal status and physical performance in middleaged women: a cross-sectional communitybased study in Northeast Brazil. PLoS One. 2015;10(3):e0119480.325 POTJ / Volume 19 Number 4 / October - December 2026 Harish S Krishna, Mithun Shetty, J Bhavya. Correlation Between Body Mass Index, Physical Activity and Quadriceps Femoris Strength in Perimenopausal Women: A Pilot Study
• 19.   da Silva RT, da Camara SM, Moreira MA, do Nascimento RA, Vieira MC, de Morais MS, Maciel AC. Correlation of menopausal symptoms and quality of life with physical performance in middle-aged women. Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 2016;38(6):266–272.
• 20.   Verma A, Malhotra A, Ranjan P, Kumari A, Chopra S, Khan MA, Kaloiya GS, Singh A, Prakash B, Ahuja M. A comprehensive evaluation of predictors of obesity in women during the perimenopausal period: a systematic review and narrative synthesis. Diabetes MetabSyndr. 2024;18(1):102933.
• 21.   Greendale GA, Sternfeld B, Huang M, Han W, Karvonen-Gutierrez C, Ruppert K, Cauley JA, Finkelstein JS, Jiang SF, Karlamangla AS. Changes in body composition and weight during the menopause transition. JCI Insight. 2019;4(5):e124865.
• 22.   Liao S, Zhao L, Huang C, Xiong A, Xiong W, He Y, Huang X, Hunter V, Luo B. Oneyear trajectories of nutritional status in perimenopausal women: a community-based multi-centered prospective study. BMC Public Health. 2024;24(1):914.
• 23.   Shieh A, Karlamangla AS, Karvonen-Gutierrez CA, Greendale GA. Menopause-related changes in body composition are associated with subsequent bone mineral density and fractures. J Bone Miner Res. 2023;38(3):395–402.
• 24.   Money A, MacKenzie A, Norman G, EostTelling C, Harris D, McDermott J, Todd C. The impact of physical activity and exercise interventions on symptoms for women experiencing menopause: overview of reviews. BMC Womens Health. 2024;24(1):399.
• 25.   Kim MJ, Cho J, Ahn Y, Yim G, Park HY. Association between physical activity and menopausal symptoms in perimenopausal women. BMC Womens Health. 2014;14:1–8.
• 26.   Dąbrowska-Galas M, Dąbrowska J, Ptaszkowski K, Plinta R. High physical activity level may reduce menopausal symptoms. Medicina. 2019;55(8):466.
• 27.   Hyvarinen M, Juppi HK, Taskinen S, Karppinen JE, Karvinen S, Tammelin TH, Kovanen V, Aukee P, Kujala UM, Rantalainen T, Sipilä S. Metabolic health, menopause, and physical activity: a 4-year follow-up study. Int J Obes. 2022;46(3):544–554.
• 28.   Greeves JP, Cable NT, Reilly T, Kingsland C. Changes in muscle strength in women following the menopause: a longitudinal assessment. Clin Sci. 1999;97(1):79–84.
• 29.   Kulkarni KY, Yadav T. Effect of body mass on quadriceps muscle strength among postmenopausal women. Chettinad Health City Med J. 2023;12(2):41–45.
• 30.   Pietrosimone B, Thomas AC, Saliba SA, Ingersoll CD. Association between quadriceps strength and self-reported physical activity. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2014;9(3):320.
• 31.   Bondarev D, Finni T, Kokko K, Kujala UM, Aukee P, Kovanen V, Laakkonen EK, Sipilä S. Physical performance during the menopausal transition and the role of physical activity. J Gerontol A. 2021;76(9):1587–15 Romero-Corral A, Somers VK, Sierra-Johnson J, Thomas RJ, Collazo-Clavell ML, Korinek JE, Allison TG, Batsis JA, Sert-Kuniyoshi FH, Lopez-Jimenez F. Accuracy of body mass index in diagnosing obesity in the adult general population. International journal of obesity. 2008 Jun;32(6):959-66.
• 33.   Lesnak J, Anderson D, Farmer B, Katsavelis D, Grindstaff TL. Validity of hand-held dynamometry in measuring quadriceps strength. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2019;14(2):180.
• 34.   Mentiplay BF, Perraton LG, Bower KJ, Adair B, Pua YH, Williams GP, McGaw R, Clark RA. Assessment of lower limb muscle strength and power using hand-held and fixed dynamometry: a reliability and validity study. PloS one. 2015 Oct 28;10(10):e0140822.
• 35.   Mader UR, Martin BW, Schutz Y, Marti B. Validity of four short physical activity questionnaires in middle-aged persons. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2006;38(7):1255–1266.
• 36.   Craig CL, Marshall AL, Sjostrom M, Bauman AE, Booth ML, Ainsworth BE, Pratt M, Ekelund UL, Yngve A, Sallis JF, Oja P. International physical activity questionnaire: 12-country reliability and validity. Medicine & science in sports & exercise. 2003 Aug;35(8):1381-95.
• 37.   Vadugu S, Lanke V. The Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) in Indian women. J Evid Based Med Healthc. 2015;2(54):8789–8791.
• 38.   Heinemann LA, Potthoff P, Schneider HP. International versions of the menopause rating scale (MRS). Health and quality of life outcomes. 2003 Jul 30;1(1):28.
• 39.   Capel-Alcaraz AM, Garcia-Lopez H, Castro Sanchez AM, Fernandez-Sanchez M, LaraPalomo IC. The efficacy of strength exercises for reducing the symptoms of menopause. J Clin Med. 2023;12(2):548.
• 40.   Sanchez-Garcia JC, Lopez Hernandez D, Piqueras-Sola B, Cortes-Martín J, Reinoso obo A, Menor-Rodriguez MJ, Rodriguez Blanque R. Physical exercise and dietary supplementation in middle-aged and older women: a systematic review. J Clin Med. 2023;12(23):7271.
• 41.   Svensen E, Koscien CP, Alamdari N, Wall BT, Stephens FB. A low-impact resistance exercise program increases strength and balance in females. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2024.
• 42.   Nasir Y, Hoseinipouya MR, Eshaghi H, Rahimi MH. The impact of exercise on growth factors in postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Women's Health. 2024;24(1):396.

Data Sharing Statement

Funding