A systematic review including 31 studies (30 RCTs, 1 cross-over study) with a total of 1,833 subjects (of whom about half were hyperlipidemic) was abstracted in DARE. Aerobic exercise training resulted in small but statistically significant decreases of 0.10 mmol/l (95% CI: 0.02, 0.18), 0.10 mmol/l (95% CI: 0.02, 0.19) and 0.08 mmol/l (95% CI: 0.02, 0.14), for TC, LDL-C and TG, respectively, with an increase in HDL-C of 0.05 mmol/l (95% CI: 0.02, 0.08). Comparisons between the intensities of the aerobic exercise programmes produced inconsistent results; but more frequent exercise did not appear to result in greater improvements to the lipid profile than exercise three times per week. The evidence for the effect of resistance exercise training was inconclusive. Caution is required when drawing firm conclusions from this study given the significant heterogeneity with comparisons.
Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by inconsistency of results.