Table 1.
Summary characteristics of eligible studies (n = 40)
| Participants | |
| – Number of randomized participants: 12–439 | |
| – Mean age: 15.5–71.0 years | |
| – Mean BMI: 19.9–39.0 kg/m2 | |
| – Hormonal groups: | |
| – Pre-menopausal: n = 10 | |
| – Peri-menopausal: n = 1 | |
| – Post-menopausal: n = 13 | |
| – Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): n = 12 | |
| – Per-partum: n = 1 | |
| – Post-partum: n = 2 | |
| – Unspecified: n = 1 | |
| Interventions | |
| – Type of exercise: | |
| – Endurance: n = 17 | |
| – Resistance: n = 6 | |
| – Endurance and resistance: n = 11 | |
| – Yoga/Tai chi: n = 2 | |
| – Free choice or education to exercise: n = 4 | |
| – Modality | |
| – Supervision/monitoring | |
| – Direct or indirect supervision ± monitored exercise: n = 25 | |
| – Monitored only exercise: n = 3 | |
| – Mix of supervised and not supervised exercises: n = 4 | |
| – No supervision: n = 5 | |
| – Unknown: n = 3 | |
| – Group sessions: | |
| – Exercise within group sessions: n = 5 | |
| – Unknown: n = 35 | |
| – Intensity: | |
| – Light: n = 1 | |
| – Moderate: n = 9 | |
| – High: n = 19 | |
| – Unknown: n = 11 | |
| – Frequency: | |
| – <3 days/week: n = 5 | |
| – 3 to <5 days/week: n = 21 | |
| – ≥5 days/week: n = 10 | |
| – Unknown: n = 4 | |
| – Total duration: | |
| – <3 months: n = 2 | |
| – 3 to <6 months: n = 20 | |
| – 6 to <12 months: n = 9 | |
| – ≥12 months: n = 9 | |
| – Co-intervention: | |
| – No co-intervention: n = 23 | |
| – Diet: n = 12 | |
| – Other: n = 8 | |
| Comparators | |
| – No intervention: n = 19 | |
| – Diet: n = 6 | |
| – Other interventions: n = 19 |
BMI Body Mass Index, n number of studies