The fitness realm often debates which exercise provides the most health benefits. Running, weight training, HIIT, and yoga are common contenders. However, a new review suggests a different focus for those with metabolic syndrome. Instead of finding a superior workout, researchers discovered that various exercises affect different facets of the condition.
The study, published in the journal iScience, hints at more personalized exercise recommendations to address specific health issues. Metabolic syndrome is linked to multiple risk factors affecting metabolic health. These include high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, excess abdominal fat, high triglycerides, and low HDL cholesterol. Concurrently having these factors raises the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. While the benefits of exercise are widely acknowledged, the best-suited forms for particular metabolic issues remain unclear.
To address this uncertainty, researchers analyzed evidence from numerous clinical trials involving adults with metabolic syndrome. They refined their analysis to 53 randomized controlled trials with 2,948 participants, exploring a wide array of exercise methods like aerobic exercises, resistance training, yoga, tai chi, qigong, and various high-intensity interval training forms.
The research did not identify a single superior exercise. Different exercise styles demonstrated different strengths. For improving weight and metabolic control, a combination of aerobic and resistance training stood out. This combination was most successful in reducing waist circumference and body mass index while also improving LDL cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Exercises merging movement, breath control, and mental focus also showed positive outcomes. Practices like tai chi and qigong significantly enhanced HDL cholesterol and systolic blood pressure, indicating the promise of lower-impact activities for metabolic health. High-intensity interval training offered mixed results. Longer sessions were more effective for reducing body fat percentage, while shorter sessions worked better for lowering triglycerides, total cholesterol, and diastolic blood pressure.
These findings imply viewing metabolic syndrome not as a single disorder but as a collection of related health issues, each requiring tailored exercise strategies. Globally, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome has risen. By 2023, it affected approximately 1.54 billion adults. Individuals with this condition face a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, premature death, and other health complications, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, and certain cancers.
While medications can address individual symptoms like high blood pressure or elevated blood sugar, they typically do not target the broader metabolic problems. Exercise, coupled with a proper diet, can simultaneously impact numerous risk factors. Despite promising results, researchers caution against viewing these findings as conclusive. They note that evidence for most comparisons was of low or very low certainty. Variations in study designs, exercise programs, and participant groups complicate drawing firm conclusions. Future trials should strive for more direct and standardized comparisons.
Reference: Xinyu Shen et al, Comparative efficacy of various exercise therapies for metabolic syndrome: A systematic review and network meta-analysis, iScience (2026).