LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF EXERCISE TRAINING ON ANTHROPOMETRIC MEASURES IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE ADULTS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW WITH META-ANALYSIS

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the long-term effects of structured exercise training (≥24 weeks) on anthropometric outcomes in adults with overweight or obesity. Randomized controlled trials comparing supervised exercise training with non-exercise control groups were identified through searches in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, and LILACS. Ten trials involving 1,392 participants were included. Random-effects meta-analyses showed that exercise significantly reduced body weight (BW) (mean difference [MD], −1.34 kg; 95% CI, −2.36 to −0.31; I² = 0.0%) and waist circumference (WC) (MD, −2.96 cm; 95% CI, −4.77 to −1.15; I² = 0.0%), but not body mass index (BMI) (MD, −0.14 kg/m²; 95% CI, −0.67 to 0.39; I² = 0.0%). Subgroup analyses revealed greater reductions in BW among participants aged <50 years and in interventions >6 months. For WC, reductions were consistent across subgroups. No significant differences in BMI were observed across age or duration subgroups. Most studies focused on aerobic training; data on resistance or combined modalities were limited. No trials included direct assessments of body composition. These findings support structured exercise training ≥24 weeks as an effective strategy to reduce BW and WC in adults with overweight or obesity.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0905/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>