Table 1.

Characteristic of included studies

Study	Type	Diagnosis	Exercisers	Controls	Duration	Frequency	Session Length	Mode	Intensity	Outcomes Reported	Significant Improvement Between Groupsα
Giallauria et al. 2008 [30]	CT	Rotterdam	N = 62 BMI = 29.2 kg/m2	N = 62 BMI = 29.5 kg/m2	3 months	3/week	30 min	Bicycle ergometer	60–70% of VO2 max	LDL-C, HDL-C, TC, TG, Fasting Glucose, WHR, TT, SHBG, CRP, SBP, DBP	WHR* and CRP*
Sprung et al. 2013 [32]	CT	Rotterdam	N = 10 BMI = 31 kg/m2	N = 7 BMI = 35 kg/m2	16 weeks	3/week for 11 weeks 5/week for 5 weeks	30 min for 11 weeks, 45 min for 5 weeks	Participant preference	30% HRR for 11 weeks, 60% HRR for 5 weeks	LDL-C, HDL-C, TC, TG, Fasting Glucose, WC, TT, SHBG. HOMA-IR	TC** and LDL-C**
Vigorito et al. 2007 [31]	RCT	Rotterdam	N = 45 BMI = 29.3 kg/m2	N = 45 BMI = 29.4 kg/m2	3 months	3/week	30 min	Bicycle ergometer	60–70% VO2 max	LDL-C, HDL-C, TC, TG, Fasting Glucose, WC, WHR, TT, HOMA-IR, SBP, DBP, CRP	WC, WHR

Study is lead author and year of publication. Type: CT = controlled trial, RCT = randomised controlled trial. Diagnosis refers to the specific criteria that the researchers used to confirm PCOS diagnosis: Rotterdam = European Society for Human Reproductive and Embryology/American Society for Reproductive Medicine (2003). N = number of participants randomised into each arm of the study. BMI = mean body mass index (kg/m²) of participants in each arm at study entry. Duration, frequency, session length, mode and intensity refer to intervention characteristics. HRR = heart rate reserve, VO₂ max = maximum oxygen update, LDL-C = low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, HDL-C = high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, TC = total cholesterol, TG = triglycerides, WC = waist circumference, WHR = waist-to-hip ratio, TT = total testosterone, SHBG = sex hormone-binding globulin, HOMA-IR = homeostatic assessment of insulin resistance, SBP = systolic blood pressure, DBP = diastolic blood pressure, CRP = C-reactive protein. α = statistically significant.