Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40068888›Full record

SynthesisBMJ open2025

Effects of water aerobics on body composition in obesity and overweight people: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Ziyan Ding, Zixuan Gao, Haixu Zhou, Jongchul Park

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Ziyan DingGraduate School, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0006-1509-0186
Zixuan GaoSchool of Physical Education, Chaoyang Normal University, Chaoyang, China.
Haixu ZhouSports Training, Jilin Sport University, Changchun, China.
Jongchul ParkMarine Sports, Department of Smart Healthcare, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea jcpark@pknu.ac.kr.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesObesity and overweight significantly impact public health. The benefits of water aerobics (WAs) have been shown in obesity and overweight people, but the effects of WAs on body composition improvement are still unclear.

designSystematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: A systematic literature search was conducted on 16 November 2024, across the PubMed MEDLINE, Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: Only randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were included, which were independently screened by two researchers. All RCTs on WAs that evaluated the anthropometric and body composition parameters of overweight and obesity subjects were included. Eligible studies were reported following the Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis statement. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: All process were independently screened by two researchers (ZD, HZ). A fixed-effects or random-effects model was chosen based on the heterogeneity of the studies. The risk of bias in the included studies was assessed using the Risk of Bias V.2.0 tool, and sensitivity and subgroup analyses were conducted for outcome indicators. The quality of evidence for each outcome was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system.

resultsA total of 10 studies involving 286 participants were included. Sensitivity analyses were performed for percent body fat (PBF) with high heterogeneity, and the results were robust. WAs were able to reduce body weight (BW) (weighted mean differences (WMD)=-2.69, 95% CI -4.10 to -1.27, p<0.05, I

conclusionFor the obesity and overweight people, WAs interventions over 10 weeks (ie, 12 weeks) reduced BW and WC, with more significant effects in women and greater improvements in body composition in middle-aged and older adults (average age ≥45 years). The moderate certainty of evidence for BW and WC, as assessed using the GRADE framework, indicates that these findings are robust. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42023466969.

Indexed as

Body CompositionExerciseObesityOverweightWaterHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicWaterMeta-AnalysisObesityOverweightSPORTS MEDICINE

Identifiers

PMID40068888
PMCPMC12015700

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.