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A study of more than 1,800 respondents in 87 countries found an association between more frequent physical activity and lower perimenopause symptom scores. The researchers said the association appeared strongest for psychological symptoms, but the survey does not establish that exercise caused the difference.
A survey study of more than 1,800 Flo app users in 87 countries found that more frequent physical activity was associated with lower reported perimenopause symptom scores, with the researchers saying the link appeared strongest for psychological symptoms. The findings are due to be presented at The Menopause Society’s 2026 annual meeting in San Diego from October 20 to 24; they show an association, not proof that activity reduces symptoms.
Participants completed an online survey describing how often they were physically active, with responses ranging from “not physically active” to more than five days a week. They also reported symptoms that researchers grouped into somatic, psychological and urogenital domains. The study used the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) to assess symptom burden.
The researchers examined the relationship between activity frequency and MRS scores using multivariable linear regression. They said their prespecified adjustment factors included age, body mass index, smoking status and comorbidities, as well as access to health care and a country-level measure of socioeconomic development. The report describes a statistically significant inverse association in its unadjusted analysis; it does not provide numerical effect sizes or adjusted results in the material available.
Liudmila Zhaunova, the study’s presenting author and director of science at Flo Health, said the association appeared strongest for psychological symptoms, including low mood, irritability and anxiety. The report says participants were drawn from six continents and were using the Flo app. It does not establish whether the findings represent people who do not use the app or whether different kinds, durations or intensities of activity were associated with different scores.
Activity and Symptom Burden
The findings add international survey evidence to a question the report describes as underexplored: how activity frequency relates to perimenopause symptoms. Perimenopause is the period before menopause, when hormonal changes can coincide with physical and psychological symptoms that affect daily life. A possible relationship with movement may be relevant to people seeking ways to support their well-being during this phase.
However, the results should not be read as a prescription or a guarantee of symptom relief. The survey identifies a pattern between reported activity and reported symptoms; it cannot determine whether activity changed symptoms, whether symptoms influenced how much participants moved, or whether other differences between respondents contributed. The report provides no trial evidence comparing an exercise program with another approach.
Physical activity is already associated with broader health benefits and is commonly encouraged as part of a healthy lifestyle in midlife, according to the report. The study’s contribution is its focus on perimenopause symptom scores across a large, geographically diverse app-user sample. Its findings may inform further research, but individual choices about symptoms and activity should be discussed with a qualified health professional where appropriate.
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How Researchers Collected Responses
The study focused on people who identified their experience as perimenopause and used the Flo health app. Its online survey asked about activity frequency and symptom severity, then compared activity categories with scores on the Menopause Rating Scale. The researchers included respondents from 87 countries across six continents, a broad geographic reach for a study of this subject.
Researchers used multivariable models and said they selected potential confounders in advance through a causal framework. Those factors included personal characteristics and health conditions, alongside health-care access and a country-level Socio-Demographic Index. Adjusting for measured factors can help account for some differences between respondents, but it does not eliminate all potential sources of bias in survey research.
The results are being presented under the title “Physical activity frequency and perimenopause symptom burden: Global insights from the Flo app.” The source report says the study addresses a relationship that has received limited attention in global populations. It does not include a full research paper, detailed tables or enough information to evaluate every methodological choice.
“The benefits of physical activity seemed to be strongest for psychological symptoms like low mood irritability and anxiety.”
— Liudmila Zhaunova, presenting author and director of science at Flo Health
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Limits of the Survey Findings
The report does not give the size of the differences in MRS scores, confidence intervals or detailed results for each activity category. It also does not provide the adjusted model’s estimates, making it difficult to judge how much the association changed after accounting for the listed factors. The source describes a statistically significant inverse association in unadjusted analysis but offers limited numerical detail.
Because respondents completed a survey rather than being assigned to an activity program, the study cannot show that physical activity caused fewer symptoms. Self-reported activity and symptoms may also be subject to recall or reporting differences. People using a health app may differ from the broader population, and the report does not explain how respondents were recruited or whether the sample reflects all people experiencing perimenopause.
It is also unclear from the available material which specific activities, duration or intensity were associated with scores, and whether patterns varied by country or participant characteristics. The full presentation or a subsequent peer-reviewed report may provide further detail.
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Meeting Presentation and Further Study
The research is scheduled for presentation at The Menopause Society’s annual meeting in San Diego, October 20-24, 2026. The presentation may offer additional information about the methods and results beyond what is included in the news report. Until those details are available, the reported conclusion is limited to an association between activity frequency and symptom burden in the surveyed app users.
The researchers say more work is needed to understand the relationship. Follow-up studies with detailed reporting, representative samples and designs that can test timing and direction could help establish whether activity itself affects symptom burden and which forms of movement matter. For now, the survey does not support a specific exercise target or a claim that activity treats perimenopause symptoms.
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Key Questions
What did the study find?
In a survey of more than 1,800 Flo app users across 87 countries, more frequent physical activity was associated with lower perimenopause symptom scores. The study team said the association appeared strongest for psychological symptoms.
Does the study prove that exercise reduces perimenopause symptoms?
No. The results show an association, not cause and effect. Survey data cannot establish whether activity reduced symptoms, symptoms affected activity levels, or other factors contributed to the pattern.
Which symptoms were assessed?
Researchers assessed symptoms in somatic, psychological and urogenital domains using the Menopause Rating Scale. The presenting author highlighted low mood, irritability and anxiety when discussing psychological symptoms.
When will the study be presented?
The study is scheduled for presentation at The Menopause Society’s 2026 annual meeting in San Diego, running October 20-24, 2026.
Can the findings guide an individual exercise plan?
The report does not identify a specific activity type, duration or intensity, and it does not establish a treatment effect. People considering changes to activity or seeking help with symptoms can discuss their circumstances with a qualified health professional.
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