Effects of high-intensity interval training on physical morphology, cardiorespiratory fitness and metabolic risk factors of cardiovascular disease in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the safety and efficacy of high-intensity interval training in children and adolescents. METHODS: Eight databases were searched. Descriptive analysis of the efficacy and safety of high-intensity interval training on body shape, cardiorespiratory fitness, and metabolic risk markers of cardiovascular disease in children and adolescents. Subgroup analysis was performed using age, participants, intervention time, and exercise frequency as covariates. RESULTS: 47 studies included 2995 children and adolescents. The results of the meta-analysis showed that high-intensity interval training significantly improved cardiorespiratory fitness indicators (VO2max, SBP, DBP and HRmax) and cardiovascular disease biomarkers (TC and HDL-C). HIIT had no significant effect on body shape indicators (BMI, BF% and WC) or cardiovascular disease biomarkers (TG and LDL-C). CONCLUSION: Currently, there is insufficient evidence that HIIT with interval running as the predominant form improves physical indicators in children and adolescents. However, HIIT can be promoted in children and adolescents to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and reduce some metabolic risk of cardiovascular disease.

Effectiveness of exercise in reducing cerebral stroke risk factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the relationship between exercise and cerebral stroke and provide evidence for the prevention of cerebral stroke. MATERIALS/METHODS: All clinical trials of exercise intervention for atherosclerosis were systematically reviewed. Five major databases were searched to retrieve relevant studies from their inception to May 2022. According to the magnitude of heterogeneity, the random and fixed-effect models were used to test reasonably. RESULTS: According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 1341 articles were screened and 13 articles involving 825 patients were identified. The result showed that in the randomized controlled trials carotid intima-media thickness index was lower in the exercise group (-0.04 mm, 95% confidence interval: -0.07 to -0.01). All were statistically significant (P < .005) and subgroup analysis showed that the intervention period and paper quality are sources of heterogeneity. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this systematic review suggest that exercise is associated with a slow increase in carotid intima-media thickness, which may provide evidence that exercise helps reduce cerebral stroke.