Open AccessThe Effects of Exercise on Resting Blood Pressure in Children and Adolescents: A Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Author(s) -
Kelley George A.,
Kelley Kristi S.,
Tran Zung Vu
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
preventive cardiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1751-7141
pISSN - 1520-037X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1520-037x.2003.01224.x
Subject(s) - medicine , blood pressure , confidence interval , meta analysis , diastole , randomized controlled trial , cardiology , physical therapy
Resting blood pressure in children and adolescents can track into adulthood. The purpose of this study was to use the meta‐analytic approach to examine the effects of exercise on resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure in children and adolescents. Twelve randomized, controlled trials representing 16 outcomes in 1266 subjects met the inclusion criteria. Reductions in blood pressure were approximately 1% and 3% for resting systolic and diastolic blood pressures, respectively. However, random‐effects modeling using 5000 bootstrap confidence intervals revealed that neither result was statistically significant (systolic, ±SEM=−1±2; 95% bootstrap confidence intervals=−2 to 0 mm Hg; diastolic, ±SEM=−2±1; 95% bootstrap confidence intervals=−3 to 0 mm Hg). The results of this study suggest that short‐term exercise does not appear to reduce resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure in children and adolescents. However, a need exists for additional studies, especially in hypertensive children and adolescents.