Effects of physical training on anthropometrics, physical and physiological capacities in individuals with obesity: A systematic review

Summary Increasing the amount of physical activity is an important strategy for weight loss. This systematic review summarizes recent findings on the effects of physical training on anthropometric characteristics, physical performances and physiological capacities in individuals with overweight and obesity. A systematic literature search strategy was conducted from inception until June 2019 using four electronic databases that identified 2,708 records. After screening for titles, s and full texts, 116 studies were included in our final analysis. Both aerobic (e.g., endurance training) and anaerobic training (e.g., high‐intensity training, resistance training) improved body composition and physical fitness indicators in adults, adolescents and children with obesity (effect size: 0.08 < d < 2.67, trivial to very large). This systematic review suggests that both low‐ and high‐intensity training significantly reduced body weight and fat mass while increasing fat‐free mass in individuals with obesity (effect size: 0.04