Exercise training and blood lipids in hyperlipidemic and normolipidemic adults: A meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of exercise training (aerobic and resistance) in modifying blood lipids, and to determine the most effective training programme with regard to duration, intensity and frequency for op timizing the blood lipid profile. Design: Trials were identified by a systematic search of Medline, Embase, S cience Citation Index (SCI), published reviews and the references of releva nt trials. The inclusion criteria were limited to randomized, controlled tr ials of aerobic and resistance exercise training which were conducted over a minimum of four weeks and involved measurement of one or more of the foll owing: total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein (HDL-C), low densit y lipoprotein (LDL-C) and triglycerides (TG). Subjects: A total of 31 trials (1833 hyperlipidemic and normolipidemic part icipants) were included. Results: Aerobic exercise training resulted in small but statistically sign ificant decreases of 0.10 mmol/L (95% CI: 0.02, 0.18), 0.10 (95% CI: 0.02, 0.19), 0.08 mmol/L (95% CI: 0.02, 0.14), for TC, LDL-C, and TG, respectivel y, with an increase in HDL-C of 0.05 mmol/L (95% CI: 0.02, 0.08). Compariso ns between the intensities of the aerobic exercise programmes produced inco nsistent results; but more frequent exercise did not appear to result in gr eater improvements to the lipid profile than exercise three times per week. The evidence for the effect of resistance exercise training was inconclusi ve. Conclusions: Caution is required when drawing firm conclusions from this st udy given the significant heterogeneity with comparisons. However, the resu lts appear to indicate that aerobic exercise training produced small but fa vourable modifications to blood lipids in previously sedentary adults. Sponsorship: public Health Research and Development Project Grant, National Health and Medical Research Council, Department of Health, Housing, Local Government and community Services, 1995.