The effect of exercise training on blood pressure in African and Asian populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND: Exercise is key in the primary prevention and management of hypertension. Yet, current exercise recommendations are predominantly based on meta-analyses involving populations of European descent. Since blood pressure (BP) responses to pharmaceutical interventions are known to differ among ethnic groups, we aimed to investigate the BP responses to exercise training in non-European descendants. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to systematically summarize the available literature on the efficacy of exercise on BP in healthy adults (age ≥18 years) of African or Asian origin. METHODS: We searched the MEDLINE database for randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effect of exercise training on BP in healthy African and Asian adults with optimal BP, elevated BP or hypertension and published in a peer-reviewed journal up to May 2019. Random effect models were fitted to estimate the effect sizes. RESULTS: We identified 22 trials involving individuals of Asian origin (n = 931; mean age: 44 years; 41% male) and four trials involving individuals of African origin (n = 510; mean age: 56.7 years; 80% male). Aerobic exercise training significantly (p < 0.001) reduced systolic and diastolic BP in each ethnic group. Resistance training did not affect the BP of Asian participants with optimal BP. The effect of resistance training in Asians with elevated BP or hypertension and Africans could not be determined due to lack of data. Sub-analyses suggested somewhat larger reductions in systolic BP following aerobic training in hypertensive Africans compared with hypertensive Asians. CONCLUSIONS: We found favorable effects of aerobic exercise training on BP in the African and the Asian populations. However, the overall low number of studies and especially the lack of data on resistance training and combined training in African and Asian populations warrant more research to improve the quality of evidence.

Jaar van publicatie:2019

BOF-keylabel:ja

IOF-keylabel:ja

BOF-publication weight:2

CSS-citation score:1

Auteurs:International

Authors from:Higher Education

Toegankelijkheid:Open