Author(s): HE, W., ZIHAN, D., PAK-HUNG, Y., HEUNG-SANG, W., Institution: THE CHINESE OF HONG KONG, Country: CHINA, Abstract-ID: 1404

INTRODUCTION:
Aging- and menopause-related alterations, including lipid deterioration and excess adiposity, primarily contribute to the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which remains the leading cause of mortality among women. Menopausal women are more prone to obesity and face additional cardiovascular risks, making their health management particularly critical. Although exercise is widely recognized as a potential strategy for improving lipids and weight management, the specific benefits reported in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) remain inconsistent in menopausal women with overweight or obesity. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the overall effects of exercise on lipid profiles and body composition in this specific population, and to identify the characteristics of exercise prescription and participant that may affect the efficacy of exercise intervention.
METHODS:
Five electronic databases were searched for relevant studies. RCTs examining the effect of exercise on lipid profiles and body composition in menopausal women with overweight or obesity were included. All results in the meta-analysis were reported as mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Subgroup analysis and meta-regression were used to investigate whether the effects of exercise are influenced by specific exercise and participant characteristics. Trial sequence analysis (TSA) was conducted to control for type I and II error and to determine whether the required information size had been reached. Study quality was assessed using the revised Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach.
RESULTS:
A total of 53 RCTs involving 3,171 participants were included. Exercise significantly reduced TG (MD -0.13 mmol/L, 95%CI [-0.18, -0.08]), TC (MD -0.33 mmol/L, 95%CI [-0.43, -0.23]), LDL-C (MD -0.29 mmol/L, 95%CI [-0.40, -0.17]), while significantly increasing HDL-C (MD 0.09 mmol/L, 95%CI [0.05, 0.12]). BMI, body fat percentage, and WC were significantly improved after exercise. Subgroup-analysis showed a duration-dependent effect only for WC reduction, with 3-6 month interventions showing the greatest improvement. Meta-regression showed an association between higher baseline HDL-C levels and smaller HDL-C improvements. TSA indicated that all analysis have exceeded the required information size.
CONCLUSION:
Exercise significantly improved four lipid markers and body composition in this population, with TSA confirming the robustness. However, commonly reported exercise characteristics and participant features were not significantly associated with exercise-induced improvements in lipids.