MidFit is a research study investigating the effectiveness and scalability of a six-week lifestyle programme specifically designed for perimenopause, incorporating exercise, diet, and health education components.
Participants in this study will be randomly separated into either:
Participants in the experimental group will take part in the six-week lifestyle programme that focuses on exercise, diet, and health education. Taking in place in Technological University of the Shannon Athlone campus, there will be eighteen group sessions (30-45 minutes duration) over six weeks (three classes per week comprising of 2 exercise classes and 1 education workshop). There will be an additional weekend education workshop on a Saturday approximately halfway through the programme (2-3 hours).
The menopause workshops will cover the basics of menopause, the benefits of exercise and nutrition, mental health and well-being, sleep, pelvic floor health, sexual health, hormonal replacement therapy, and life after menopause and will be delivered by experts in these areas.
The exercise classes are functional training sessions, which focus on a combination of bodyweight and resistance-based exercises and will be delivered by a qualified instructor. In addition to this type of exercise, participants will also be encouraged to achieve the general aerobic activity guidelines for this age group (participants will choose from different types of physical activity for this and the type can change throughout), as well as adopt healthy eating practices.
Participants in the control group will continue to follow their own usual exercise and diet patterns but will be offered a guaranteed place on our next instalment of the MidFit lifestyle programme.
*Please note: if you take part in this research study you will be randomised into either the experimental or control group, and therefore not everyone who signs up for the MidFit programme will take part in the lifestyle programme in the first instance. Both groups are really important for the study, without the control group we would not know if the programme has been effective!
We welcome women who are…
Women who are currently using hormonal replacement therapy, other types of medications/hormonal contraception, as well as natural products, herbal remedies, and complimentary therapies are also welcome to take part.
If you would like to register your interest in participating in this research study, please see the questionnaire below:
The MidFit research study has been created by a team of researchers from the SHE Research Group at the Technological University of the Shannon.
This study is also a collaboration between UPMC Ireland and the South-East Technological University.
Contact us:
If you would like to learn more about the MidFit research study, please get in touch using the below contact emails:
Edel Flynn: edel.flynn@tus.ie
or
Dr Trish Heavey: patricia.heavey@tus,ie
Edel Flynn – Edel Flynn is a research assistant within the SHE Research Centre at the Technological University of the Shannon developing and evaluating a lifestyle program for menopause, including exercise, nutrition, and education components. Edel graduated from Technological University of the Shannon with a BSc (Hons) in Sports Science and Exercise physiology. Edel worked with a weight loss clinic during and after her studies, which specialized in behaviour change approaches to develop sustainable weight management and eating habits in individuals. Edel then graduated from Maastricht University, The Netherlands, with a MSc in Biomedical Sciences, specializing in exercise, nutrition and metabolism.
Twitter: @Edel_Flynn0
Dr Patricia Heavey – Dr Trish Heavey is the lead for the SHE Nutrition and Health group in the Technological University of the Shannon. The SHE (Sport, Health and Exercise science) Centre prioritises research on women and girls with the primary mission to work to bridge the gender data gap in sport, health and exercise. Dr Heavey’s research team aim to explore the role of nutrition on health, well-being, and disease with a particular emphasis on the nutritional needs and challenges of women through-out the lifespan including the menopausal transition period.
Trish is a registered Nutritionist (Public Health) with the Association for Nutrition and an IUHPE Registered Health Promotion Practitioner. She is actively involved in teaching on the BSc (Hons) Nutrition and Health Science programme as well as supervising several postgraduate students.
Dr Aoife Lane – Dr Aoife Lane is Head of Department of Sport and Health Sciences in TUS Midlands. Aoife has a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science from UL, a Master’s in Health Promotion from NUI Galway and completed her PhD studies on the public health impact of the Women’s Mini Marathon in Waterford IT, in 2011. Aoife is a founder of the Women’s Gaelic Players Association and has a particular interest in addressing the gender data gap in sports science and health research. Aoife has supervised Masters students across the discipline of physical activity; in clinical groups, ethnic minorities, adolescents and in sport particularly the health promotion potential of the sports club setting. Aoife is currently supervising PhD students looking at the contribution of organised sport to physical activity and the role of women in sport.
Twitter: @aoifemlane
To learn more about the study, please read the participant information booklet in the link below:
