Aerobic exercise and lipids and lipoproteins in women: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
BACKGROUND
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women is the leading cause of mortality in the United States, and less than optimal lipid and lipoprotein levels are major risk factors for CVD. The purpose of this study was to use the meta-analytic approach to examine the effects of aerobic exercise on lipids and lipoproteins in women.


METHODS
Studies were retrieved via computerized literature searches, review of reference lists, hand searching selected journals, and expert review of our reference list. The inclusion of studies was limited to randomized controlled trials published in the English language literature between January 1955 and January 2003 in which aerobic exercise was used as the primary intervention in adult women aged > or =18 years. One or more of the following lipids and lipoproteins were assessed: total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides (TG).


RESULTS
Using a random effects model, statistically significant improvements were observed for all lipids and lipoproteins (TC, +/- SEM, -4.3 +/- 1.3 mg/dl, 95% CI -6.9 to -1.7 mg/dl; HDL-C, +/- SEM, 1.8 +/- 0.9 mg/dl, 95% CI 0.1 to 3.5 mg/dl; LDL-C, +/- SEM, -4.4 +/- 1.1 mg/dl, 95% CI -6.5 to -2.2 mg/dl; TG, +/- SEM, -4.2 +/- 2.1 mg/dl, 95% CI -8.4 to -0.1 mg/dl). Reductions of approximately 2%, 3%, and 5%, respectively, were observed for TC, LDL-C, and TG, whereas an increase of 3% was observed for HDL-C.


CONCLUSIONS
Aerobic exercise is efficacious for increasing HDL-C and decreasing TC, LDL-C, and TG in women.
Kelley
George A
GA
Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-9190, USA. gkelley@hsc.wvu.edu
Kelley
Kristi S
KS
Tran
Zung Vu
ZV
D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D010809:Physical Fitness; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D016387:Women's Health
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides