We call on researchers to address ageism against women in sport and exercise science

Action is urgently needed to address the shortage of older women in sport and exercise science, not just for the growing number of female athletes, but for women’s health in general, an international group of researchers says in an editorial. is appealing. British Journal of Sports Medicine.

The authors point out that there is already too little sport and exercise science research targeting women, citing their own 2021 report on the gender data gap.

It showed that out of 5,261 studies from six popular sport and exercise science journals, women and girls made up just over a third of the total number of participants. This number may be even lower for women in middle age and beyond.suggest

Hormonal changes that women experience during the transition period between their regular period and their last period (known as menopause) can cause certain physical and psychological symptoms, researchers say points out.

On average, women spend one-third of their lives postmenopausal, which increases the risk of osteoporosis, muscle loss (sarcopenia), cardiovascular disease, and dementia due to decreased hormone levels. The authors explain that the influence of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is another factor to consider.

These hormonal changes can affect not only a woman’s quality of life, but also her willingness to participate in physical activity, her athletic performance, and her response to training.

“However, the impact of these reproductive hormonal profiles on participation rates, health and performance outcomes, as well as strategies to overcome their negative effects, is unclear compared to other reproductive hormonal environments experienced by women (such as menstruation). “There is no progress in research on this topic (cycle),” the authors write.

Based on data from 2021 and updating it to 2022, the authors found that women in middle age and older accounted for only 9% of all study participants, and that studies that included only women only included older women. They estimate that only 16% of studies focused on

They set out key research priorities to redress imbalances. It is the impact of perimenopause and postmenopause on participation in sports, exercise, and physical activity. The role of exercise and dietary changes in managing symptoms and optimizing health and well-being outcomes during perimenopause and beyond. and the effects of perimenopause and postmenopause (and HRT) on performance and training response.

They found that many of the existing relevant studies had “poor methodological practices (i.e., inconsistency in terminology used to describe menopausal status, pooling of premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal participants; and failure to report other criteria such as HRT). This further limits the translational scope and impact of the current data for women in midlife and beyond. ”

Just as sports and exercise science research generally considers the “typical 70 kg male” to be the default global representative, research focused on women generally considers the “typical 70 kg male” to be the default global representative. Women aged 18 to 40 who menstruate are considered a suitable proxy for all women,” the authors note.

“We hope this commentary serves as a call to action to the sport and exercise science research community and fills current data and knowledge gaps for perimenopausal and postmenopausal women,” they conclude. “Ultimately, this will enable practitioners and researchers to better support female athletes and patients throughout their lives.”