Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41044484›Full record

SynthesisBMC public health2025

Effects of aerobic exercise on body composition in children and adolescents with overweight and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Haoming Yan, Hanyang Xu, Rui Chen, Daiwei Chen, Changdong Li

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Kinin receptors in adipose tissue: drivers of inflammation and metabolic dysfunction in obesity.Inflammation research : official journal of the European Histamine Research Society ... [et al.] · 2025
    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

5 authors.

Haoming YanSchool of Physical Education, Chengdu Sport University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
Hanyang XuDepartment of Basic Courses, Sichuan Vocational College of Chemical Technology, Luzhou, 646000, China. 18780018963@163.com.
Rui ChenSchool of Physical Education and Sport Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350000, China.
Daiwei ChenSchool of Physical Education, Chengdu Sport University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
Changdong LiDepartment of Physical Education, Zunyi Normal University, zunyi, 563000, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveResearch has shown that aerobic exercise is effective for adults and the elderly with overweight and obesity. However, specific evidence for children and adolescents remains limited. This study aims to evaluate the effects of aerobic exercise on improving body composition in children and adolescents with overweight and obesity.

methodsA systematic search was conducted across five Major databases, namely PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and EBSCO, to identify all relevant studies published up to June 10, 2025. This search specifically focused on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the effects of aerobic exercise interventions on body composition indicators in children and adolescents with overweight and obesity. The search covered all records available in each database from their inception.

resultsA total of 1772 relevant articles were retrieved, and 15 studies were ultimately included for meta-analysis. The results showed that aerobic exercise significantly reduced BF% (MD = -2.15, 95% CI = -3.09 to -1.20, I² = 95%, p < 0.001), FM (MD = -2.74, 95% CI = -5.45 to 0.03, I² = 80%, p = 0.05), VAT (SMD = -1.53, 95% CI = -2.55 to -0.51, I² = 90%, p = 0.003), LLF (SMD = -0.89, 95% CI = -1.38 to -0.40, I² = 55%, p < 0.001), BW (MD = -2.06, 95% CI = -3.16 to -0.96, I² = 79%, p < 0.001), BMI (MD = -1.65, 95% CI = -2.42 to -0.88, I² = 94%, p < 0.001), and WC (MD = -2.89, 95% CI = -4.61 to -1.16, I² = 82%, p = 0.001), but improvements in SAAT, FFM, and body muscle weight were not significant.

conclusionAerobic exercise can significantly improve body composition in overweight and obese children and adolescents, primarily reflected in BF%, FM, VAT, and LLF. It also significantly reduces BW, BMI, and WC. Therefore, aerobic exercise should be regarded as an important, safe, and cost-effective way to improve body composition and promote healthy growth in overweight and obese children and adolescents. REGISTRATION: PROSPERO, registration number: CRD420251072290.

Indexed as

Body CompositionExerciseOverweightPediatric ObesityAdolescentChildHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicAerobic exerciseBody compositionChildren and adolescentsMeta-analysis

Identifiers

PMID41044484
PMCPMC12495777

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.