Effectiveness of Physical Exercise in Managing Components of Metabolic Syndrome in Obese Populations: A Systematic Review
Abstract
Obesity is one of the main contributing factors to metabolic syndrome, which results in an increased risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and other metabolic dysfunctions. Physical exercise has long been recognized as a potential nonpharmacological strategy in reducing metabolic risk factors, but the effectiveness of various types of exercise in managing metabolic syndrome still needs to be further reviewed. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of physical activity in managing components of metabolic syndrome in an obese population. Using the PRISMA method of literature searches through Pubmed, Ebsco, Scopus and Wiley databases by using specific word combinations to obtain suitable articles. Inclusion criteria included English language articles published in the last five years (2019-2024), randomized controlled trial type, and discussing physical exercise interventions in obese populations. Of the 893 articles retrieved, 7 were reviewed. Studies show that physical exercise significantly reduced risk components of metabolic syndrome such as blood sugar, insulin, HOMA-IR, visceral fat and improved VO 2 max and quality of life. However, long term success was strongly influenced by the level of adherence to the exercise program. Physical exercise in an effective and safe intervention in reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome in obese individuals.
References
Barker TH, Stone JC, Sears K, Klugar M, Tufanaru C, Leonardi-Bee J, Aromataris E, Munn Z. The revised JBI critical appraisal tool for the assessment of risk of bias for randomized controlled trials. JBI Evidence Synthesis. 2023;21(3):494-506
Cicek, G., Ozcan, O., Akyol, P., Isik, O., Novak, D., & Küçük, H. (2024). The effect of aerobic and high-intensity interval training on plasma pentraxin 3 and lipid parameters in overweight and obese women. PeerJ , 12 , e18123. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18123
Duan, Y., & Lu, G. (2024). A Randomized Controlled Trial to Determine the Impact of Resistance Training versus Aerobic Training on the Management of FGF-21 and Related Physiological Variables in Obese Men with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Journal of sports science & medicine , 23 (1), 495–503. https://doi.org/10.52082/jssm.2024.495
Kim, S. -W., Jung, W. -S., Park, W., & Park, H. -Y. (2019). Twelve Weeks of Combined Resistance and Aerobic Exercise Improves Cardiometabolic Biomarkers and Enhances Red Blood Cell Hemorheological Function in Obese Older Men: A Randomized Controlled Trial. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health , 16 (24), 5020. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16245020
Lehmann, S., Retschlag, U., Oberbach, A., Morgenroth, R., Linder, N., Schaudinn, A., Garnov, N., Busse, H., Solty, K., Prettin, C., Köppe-Bauernfeind, N., Flehmig, G., Selig, L., Trips, E., Stumvoll, M., Petroff, D., & Bluher, M. (2024). Visceral fat mass dynamics in a 2-year randomized STRength versus ENdurance training trial in people with obesity. Diabetes, obesity & metabolism , 26 (9), 4087–4099. https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.15767
Mahindru, A., Patil, P., & Agrawal, V. (2023). The Role of Physical Activity on Mental Health and Well-Being: A Review. Cureus , 15 (1), e33475. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.33475
Roberts, C.K., Hevener, A.L., & Barnard, R.J. (2013). Metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance: underlying causes and modification by exercise training. Comprehensive Physiology , 3 (1), 1–58. https://doi.org/10.1002/cphy.c110062
Reljic, D., Frenk, F., Herrmann, H. J., Neurath, M. F., & Zopf, Y. (2021). Effects of very low volume high intensity versus moderate intensity interval training in obese metabolic syndrome patients: a randomized controlled study. Scientific reports , 11 (1), 2836. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-82372-4
Saklayen MG (2018). The Global Epidemic of the Metabolic Syndrome. Current hypertension reports , 20 (2), 12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-018-0812-z
Sandouk, Z., & Lansang, M. C. (2017). Diabetes with obesity--Is there an ideal diet?. Cleveland Clinic journal of medicine , 84 (7 Suppl 1), S4–S14. https://doi.org/10.3949/ccjm.84.s1.02
Son, W.M., & Park, J.J. (2021). Resistance Band Exercise Training Prevents the Progression of Metabolic Syndrome in Obese Postmenopausal Women. Journal of sports science & medicine , 20 (2), 291–299. https://doi.org/10.52082/jssm.2021.291
Staiano, A.E., Marker, A.M., Martin, C.K., & Katzmarzyk, P.T. (2016). Physical activity, mental health, and weight gain in a longitudinal observational cohort of nonobese young adults. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) , 24 (9), 1969–1975. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.21567
Thomaz, F.S., John, O.D., Sinha, P., Shafie, S.R., & Worrall, S. (2024). The Metabolic Syndrome: An Overview and Proposed Mechanisms. Obesities , 4 (3), 226-255. https://doi.org/10.3390/obesities4030020
Ward, Z.J., Bleich, S.N., Cradock, A.L., Barrett, J.L., Giles, C.M., Flax, C., Long, M.W., & Gortmaker, S.L. (2019). Projected US State-Level Prevalence of Adult Obesity and Severe Obesity. The New England journal of medicine , 381 (25), 2440–2450. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMsa1909301
Waters, D.L., Aguirre, L., Gurney, B., Sinacore, D.R., Fowler, K., Gregori, G., Armamento-Villareal, R., Qualls, C., & Villareal, D.T. (2022). Effect of Aerobic or Resistance Exercise, or Both, on Intermuscular and Visceral Fat and Physical and Metabolic Function in Older Adults With Obesity While Dieting. The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences , 77 (1), 131–139. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glab111
World Health Organization World—Obesity and Overweight. 2024. [(accessed on 9 September 2024)]. Available online: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight
Yang, M., Liu, S., & Zhang, C. (2022). The Related Metabolic Diseases and Treatments of Obesity. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) , 10 (9), 1616. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10091616
Zhang, C., Liu, S., & Yang, M. (2021). Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Cardiovascular Disease: Causing Factors, Molecular Links, and Treatment Options. Frontiers in endocrinology , 12 , 808526. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2021.808526.
Copyright (c) 2025 Indonesian Journal of Global Health Research
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
