Effects of different exercises on body composition and blood lipids in normal weight obesity: A meta-analysis

This systematic review with meta-analysis investigates the effects of different types of exercise on body composition and blood lipid profiles in people with Normal Weight Obesity (NWO), aiming to inform precise and effective exercise prescriptions that could enhance health outcomes and mitigate related risks in this population. A systematic search across five databases—PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, Wan fang, and VIP—identified ten studies meeting inclusion criteria, with a total of 408 participants. These studies included six on Aerobic Training (AT), two on resistance training (RT), three on Comprehensive Training (CT), and two on High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). Quality assessments were conducted using the Cochrane tool, and statistical analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.3 and Stata 18.0. Meta-analysis revealed that AT, RT, and CT reduced waist-to-hip ratio in NWO participants. However, AT and HIIT showed greater effectiveness than CT in reducing body fat percentage (AT: P<0.0001; RT: P<0.0001; HIIT: P<0.00001; CT: P=0.33). HIIT (P<0.00001) and RT (p=0.03) also proved superior in reducing body mass index compared to AT (P=0.16), and CT (P=0.41) and HIIT was more effective in lowering total cholesterol (P<0.00001) and triglycerides (P<0.00001) than CT (TC: P=0.46; TG: P=0.88). Overall, HIIT consistently demonstrated the most significant impact, underscoring its potential advantages for fat loss, cardiovascular health, and metabolic enhancement in people with NWO. HIIT’s efficiency in eliciting stronger metabolic responses within shorter time frames positions it as a particularly effective intervention for improving health in people with NWO.