ArticleOsteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA2026
Effects of weighted vest on bone health and body fat in middle-aged and older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Article in Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
This systematic review and meta-analysis of nine randomized controlled trials assesses whether weighted vests enhance bone health and reduce body fat in middle-aged and older adults. Vest plus exercise significantly increased bone mineral density and reduced body fat compared to usual activity. Adding a vest to existing exercise provided additional fat reduction but no significant benefit to bone health.
backgroundWeighted vests may improve bone health and body composition in middle-aged and older adults, but evidence is heterogeneous, and additive effects beyond exercise remain unclear.
objectiveTo evaluate the effects of weighted vest interventions on bone mineral density (BMD), bone turnover markers, and body fat mass in middle-aged and older adults, comparing vest plus exercise versus usual activity and versus exercise alone.
methodsWe searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Scopus from inception to March 9, 2026, and supplemented with manual searches (PROSPERO: CRD420261335254). Meta-analyses used fixed-effect models where feasible; otherwise narrative synthesis. GRADE assessed certainty.
resultsNine RCTs (368 participants) were included. Vest plus exercise significantly improved femoral neck BMD (SMD = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.05 to 1.13, P = 0.03; I
conclusionsVest plus exercise improves BMD and reduces adiposity versus usual activity. As an exercise adjunct, it yields additional fat loss without confirmed skeletal benefit, based on limited data. Weighted vests present a viable option for generally healthy middle-aged and older adults, although further research is needed to determine whether similar effects occur in individuals with restricted exercise capacity.
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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.