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The following is a summary of “Effects of different physical exercise programs on blood pressure in overweight children and adolescents: systematic review and meta-analysis,” published in the March 2025 issue of BMC Pediatrics by Tozo et al. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to analyze the effects of different exercise programs on blood pressure in overweight children and adolescents.  

They assessed study quality using the PEDro scale for randomized clinical trials and conducted a meta-analysis with a random model in Review Manager Software. 

The results showed that 17 studies with 1,125 children and adolescents were analyzed. The risk of bias was moderate (5–8/11). High-intensity interval training (HIIT) had the greatest impact on BP reduction, while moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) was effective but showed higher heterogeneity. Other exercises had no significant effects. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) showed a summary effect of -0.44 (95% CI=-0.68, -0.20; I²=73%), and DBP was −0.52 (95% CI=-0.73, -0.31; I²=63%). 

Investigators found that HIIT and MICT were the most effective in reducing blood pressure in overweight and obese children and adolescents. Successful interventions lasted at least 12 weeks, with three 60-minute sessions per week, better control of exercise intensity, and a multicomponent approach to ensure adherence and long-term cardiovascular benefits. 

Source: bmcpediatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12887-025-05575-y