BACKGROUND: This study aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials investigating the effect of exercise on high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels in middle-aged and older individuals. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE, including meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials that investigated the effects of exercise on HDL-C levels in middle-aged and older individuals. RESULTS: Forty-two trials were analyzed. We found that exercise had a significant effect on HDL cholesterol levels (standard mean difference (95% confidence interval) 0.22 (0.09 to 0.35), Z 3.28, p = 0.001, I2 54%), and the heterogeneity across the studies was significant and high. After subgroup analysis, we found that aerobic exercise had the most significant effect on the levels of HDLs in middle-aged and older individuals, which was better than that of other types of exercise. CONCLUSIONS: Aerobic exercise significantly improves HDL levels in middle-aged and older individuals, but resistance and stretching exercises had no significant effect on HDL levels.

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help

• PubMed Central
• DOI
• PubMed
• PDF locator
• publisher