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.
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).
For the postmenopausal group: amenorrhea ≥ 12 months.
For the premenopausal group: regular menstrual cycles for at least 12 months.
Cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, heart failure).
Presence of metabolic or inflammatory disorders (e.g., uncontrolled diabetes, autoimmune diseases, active infections).