Maria Helena Rodrigues Moreira

Maria Helena Rodrigues Moreira is an Associate Professor with Habilitation in Sports Science at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, where she has been employed since 2001. She progressed from Assistant Professor to her current position starting in July 2021, specializing in Exercise and Health within Sport Sciences. Her academic career spans over two decades at the same institution, demonstrating significant commitment to her field.

Dr. Moreira's research primarily focuses on women's health across the lifespan, with particular emphasis on postmenopausal populations. Her work explores the intersection of physical activity, body composition, and health outcomes, with growing interest in green exercise and nature-based interventions. She investigates how environmental contexts for physical activity influence health metrics, quality of life, and psychological wellbeing in aging women.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong thematic focus on postmenopausal health, with consistent examination of how physical activity interventions affect body composition, cardiovascular markers, mental health, and quality of life. Her research increasingly incorporates ecological and environmental perspectives, particularly examining how natural settings for exercise influence outcomes beyond traditional gym-based approaches. The Meno(s)Pausa+Movimento project appears to be a significant ongoing research initiative.

Dr. Moreira has secured substantial research funding through multiple competitive grants, primarily from Portuguese funding agencies (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia), European programs (Interreg, Erasmus+), and national sports institutes. Her projects often involve international collaborations across European institutions, focusing on physical activity promotion, health monitoring systems, and transnational research initiatives related to aging populations.

She actively collaborates with researchers across multiple institutions, frequently appearing as a co-author with colleagues from Portugal and Spain. Her work appears in reputable journals across exercise science, women's health, and environmental health domains, demonstrating interdisciplinary reach while maintaining a consistent focus on her core research interests in women's health and physical activity.