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Background: Many women experience detriments in mental health during the menopausal transition. Physical activity may attenuate these adverse outcomes but few studies investigating such effects exist. Purpose: This study examined the effects of a 4-month randomized controlled exercise trial on mental health outcomes in 164 previously low-active middle-aged women (M age = 49.9; SD = 3.6). Methods and Results: Participants completed body composition and fitness assessment and a battery of psychological measures at the beginning and end of a 4-month randomized controlled exercise trial with three arms: walking, yoga, control. The results indicated that walking and yoga were effective in enhancing positive affect and menopause-related QOL and reducing negative affect. Women who experienced decreases in menopausal symptoms across the trial also experienced improvements in all …