Table 1.

Studies included in meta-analyses

Study	Participants	Interventions	Intervention duration	Time measured after final exercise bout	Outcome measures
Aldred et al 20	Sedentary. n=26 f Age EXE (y) 50±5 Age CON (y) 49±5	Moderate-intensity walking, 74% HRmax, Control maintained habitual sedentary lifestyle.	12 wk, 20–50 min per day, accumulating 180 min/wk.	48 h	Fasting glucose. Fasting insulin.
Asikainen et al 19	Sedentary, postmenopausal. n=121 f Age (y) EXE 55±4 Age (y) CON 56±4	Moderate-intensity walking, 45%–55% $\dot{\mathrm{V}}$O2 max). Control, no exercise.	24 wk, 5 days per wk, 1 session, duration dependant on exercise expenditure.	48 h	Fasting glucose. Fasting insulin.
Azarbayjani et al 21	Sedentary. n=20 m Age (y) EXE 23±1 Age (y) CON 23±2	Treadmill, 60%–70% HRR. Control, no programmed physical activity, maintain diet.	12 wk, 3 days per wk, 30 min per day.	24 h	Fasting glucose. Fasting insulin HOMA-IR.
Coghill and Cooper22	Hypercholesterolaemic. n=67 m Age (y) EXE 55±5 Age (y) CON 56±5	Moderate-intensity walking 60%–75% HRmax. Control, no exercise.	12 wk, 5 days per wk, 30 min per day.	24 h	Fasting glucose. Fasting insulin HOMA-IR.
Friedenreich et al 23	Inactive, postmenopausal n=320 f Age (y) EXE 61±5 Age (y) CON 61±6	Vigorous intensity various aerobic exercise 70%–80% HRR. Control, maintain activity levels and diet.	12 months, 5 days per wk, 45 min per day.	24 h	Fasting glucose. Fasting insulin HOMA-IR.
Halse et al 24	Sedentary. n=40 f Age (y) EXE 34±5 Age (y) CON 32±3	Moderate-intensity cycling. Control, no change to diet and lifestyle.	6 wk, 5 sessions per day, 45 min per session.	48 h	Fasting glucose. Fasting insulin 2 hglucose (after OGTT) HbA1c.
Houmard et al 25	Sedentary, overweight or obese. n=154 (69 m, 85 f) Age (y) EXE 52±1 Age (y) CON 51±1	All walking, low volume moderate intensity 40%–50% VO2peak, low volume high intensity and high volume high intensity 65%–80% VO2peak. Control, no exercise.	6 months,~3 sessions per wk,~45 min per session.	24 h	Fasting glucose. Fasting insulin. Insulin sensitivity index.
Jabbour et al 26	Obese n=33 (15 m, 18 f) Age (y) EXE 23±2 Age (y) CON 23±3	Aerobic interval cycling, 6 sets of supramaximal intervals, 2 min recovery. Control, no training.	6 wk, 3 sessions per wk, approximately 15 min per session.	24 h, 72 h and 2 wk	Fasting glucose. Fasting insulin HOMA-IR.
Moghadasi et al 27	Sedentary, overweight, obese. n=16 m middle-age	High-intensity treadmill 75%–85% VO2max. Control, no change to diet or activity levels.	25 wk, 4 days per wk, 45 min per day.	48 h	Fasting glucose. Fasting insulin HOMA-IR.
Nordby et al 28	Sedentary, moderately overweight. n=48 m Age (y) EXE 28±4 Age (y) CON 31±7	High-intensity cycling, running, cross-training, rowing, 65%–85% HRR. Control, maintain lifestyle and diet.	18 months, 3–4 sessions per wk, durations dependant on energy expenditure required.	24 h	Fasting glucose. Fasting insulin 2 h glucose (after HIC) 2 h insulin (after HIC) HbA1c HOMA-IR.
Nualnim et al 29	Pre-hypertensive or stage 1 hypertension. n=43 (11 m, 32 f) Age (y) EXE 58±10 Age (y) CON 61±9	Moderate-intensity swimming 60%–75% HRmax Control, maintain usual lifestyle and dietary habits.	21 wk, 3–4 days per wk,~45 min per session.	24 h	Fasting glucose HbA1c.
O'Donovan et al 30	Sedentary. n=67 m Age(y) MOD 42±2 Age(y) HIE 41±4 Age(y) CON 41±3	Moderate-intensity and high-intensity cycling 60% $\dot{\mathrm{V}}$O2max, and 80% $\dot{\mathrm{V}}$O2max respectively. Control, maintain diet and lifestyle.	24 wk, 3 sessions per wk, time as required to expend 400 kcal per session.	24 h	Fasting glucose. Fasting insulin HOMA-IR. Insulin sensitivity.
Reichkendler, et al 31	Moderately overweight. n=53 m Age (y) EXE 29±2 Age (y) CON 31±1	High-intensity 62%–72% $\dot{\mathrm{V}}$ O2max, treadmill, rowing, elliptical machine, cycling. Control, maintain sedentary lifestyle.	10–12 wk, duration dependent on time required to meet desired energy expenditure.	36 h	Fasting glucose. Fasting insulin. HbA1c 2 hour glucose (after OGTT) 2 hour insulin (after OGTT). Peripheral insulin sensitivity.
Stensvold et al 32	Metabolic syndrome. n=43 (26 m, 17 f) Age (y) EXE 50±10 Age (y) CON 47±10	Aerobic interval training, 4 min 90% HRpeak, exercise cycle. Control, unclear.	12 wk, 3 sessions per wk, 43 min total.	48 h	Fasting glucose. Fasting insulin.
Weiss et al 33	Sedentary. n=58 (m/f) Age (y) 50–60	Moderate-intensity walking, elliptical machine, cycling and running 62%–80% HRmax. Control, no instructions.	12 months,~6 sessions per wk,~60 min per session.	48 h	Fasting glucose. Fasting insulin. Glucose 2h-AUC. Insulin 2h-AUC. Insulin sensitivity index.
Zehsaz et al 34	Sedentary, obese. n=24 f Age (y) EXE 35±4 Age (y) CON 35±6	Moderate-intensity treadmill and exercise cycling, 60%–75% HRmax. Control, non-training.	12 wk, warm up plus ~45 min, 5 times per week.	48 h	Fasting glucose. Fasting insulin HOMA-IR.

AUC, area under the curve; CON, control group; EXE, exercise group; HIC, hyperinsulinemic isoglycemic clamp; HOMA-IR, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance; HRR, heart rate reserve; HR_max, maximum heart rate; HR_peak, peak heart rate; HbA_1c, glycosylated haemoglobin; OGIS, oral glucose insulin sensitivity; OGTT, oral glucose tolerance test; ∨O_2max, maximum volume of oxygen; ∨O_2peak, peak volume of oxygen; f, female; h, hour; m, male; min, minute; wk, week; y, year.