title: Effects of exercise on resting blood pressure in obese children: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
abstract: The purpose of this meta-analysis was to examine the evidence for the effectiveness of exercise interventions on the resting blood pressure (systolic and diastolic) of obese children. A computerized search was made of seven databases using keywords. Effect sizes (ES) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated, and the heterogeneity of the studies was estimated using Cochran's Q-statistic applied to the effect size means. Nine randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies were selected for review as satisfying the inclusion criteria (n = 205 exercise, 205 control). The main cumulative evidence indicates that the exercise programmes with a frequency of three sessions weekly lasting longer than 60 min had a moderate effect on systolic blood pressure (ES = -0.46, I(2)  = 27%), and programmes of under 12 weeks with more than three sessions weekly were beneficial in terms of reduction of diastolic blood pressure (ES = -0.35, I(2)  = 78%).
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias del Deporte, AFIDES Research Group, Universidad de Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García-Hermoso
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Saavedra
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Escalante
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure; D002648:Child; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000517:prevention & control; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
keywords: Children; exercise programme; obesity; physical activity