The effect of exercise on visceral adipose tissue in overweight adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review and meta-analysis of intervention trials
PubMed 23409182 · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0056415
What was done
A systematic review and meta-analysis conducted according to PRISMA guidelines evaluated the effect of exercise interventions without caloric restriction on visceral adipose tissue in overweight and obese adults. Study quality was evaluated in duplicate using the Critical Review Form for Quantitative Studies. Random-effects meta-analysis was performed on 15 eligible studies encompassing 852 participants, with subgroup analyses assessing gender, training type, and exercise intensity.
What was found
Exercise significantly reduced visceral adipose tissue compared to controls, with a standardized mean difference (Hedges' g) of -0.497 (95% CI: -0.655 to -0.340, p < 0.001, Z = -6.183). Subgroup analyses indicated that moderate- or high-intensity aerobic training yielded the greatest reductions in both males and females. Aerobic exercise without dietary restriction reduced visceral fat area by more than 30 cm² in women and more than 40 cm² in men on CT analysis, even after 12 weeks.
Why it matters
This review demonstrates that structured aerobic exercise alone, without hypocaloric dieting, is sufficient to produce clinically meaningful reductions in visceral adipose tissue in overweight adults.
Limits
The meta-analysis is based on a modest pooled sample size (15 studies, 852 participants). The abstract does not report heterogeneity statistics (such as I²), compliance/adherence rates, long-term durability of visceral fat loss, or specific direct comparisons with resistance training alone.
Cited by
- supports Aerobic exercise and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) effectively reduce visceral fat.