Effectiveness of aerobic exercise in reducing blood pressure among obese adults: systematic review and meta-analysis

Aerobic exercise is a well-recognized nonpharmacological intervention for lowering blood pressure (BP) in obese adults, yet its efficacy has not been thoroughly evaluated through meta-analysis. This study analyzed 15 randomized controlled trials (796 participants) comparing aerobic exercise with sedentary controls. Results showed that aerobic exercise significantly reduced systolic blood pressure (SBP) by 3.39 mmHg [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.36–6.42; P = 0.03] and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) by 2.75 mmHg (95% CI: 1.14–4.35; P = 0.0008). High-intensity aerobic exercise reduced DBP by 3.09 mmHg ( P < 0.05) but had an insignificant effect on SBP. Short-term interventions (≤12 weeks) were effective (SBP: 4.26 mmHg; diastolic blood pressure (DBP): 2.77 mmHg, P = 0.01), whereas longer interventions (>12 weeks) showed no statistically significant effects. Low-to-moderate intensity exercises showed negligible effects. Substantial heterogeneity ( I 2 > 50%) indicates variability across studies. These findings suggest that high-intensity, short-term aerobic excerise programs are effective for reducing BP in obese adults, although further research is needed to clarify long-term outcomes and identify optimal exercise protocols.