Outcome | Number of RCTs | Number of participants | Heterogeneity | Meta analysis | subgroup differences | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
P value | I2 (%) | Effect estimate (95% CI) | P value | ||||
The meta-analysis results by exercise frequency | |||||||
 HbA1c (%) | 761 |  < 0.00001 | 88 | − 0.87[− 1.28, − 0.45] |  < 0.0001 | 0.39 | |
 3 times/week | 242 | 0.01 | 78 | − 0.65[− 1.22, − 0.08] | 0.03 |  | |
 > 3 times/week | 519 |  < 0.00001 | 89 | − 0.99[− 1.55, − 0.43] | 0.0005 |  | |
FBG (mmol/L) | 739 |  < 0.00001 | 82 | − 1.25[− 1.75, − 0.75] |  < 0.00001 | 0.44 | |
3 times/week | 242 |  < 0.0001 | 79 | − 0.88[− 2.14,0.37] | 0.17 |  | |
 > 3 times/week | 497 |  < 0.00001 | 86 | − 1.43[− 2.03,− 0.83] |  < 0.00001 |  | |
The meta-analysis results by types of exercise | |||||||
 HbA1c (%) | 738 |  < 0.00001 | 85 | − 0.93[− 1.32,− 0.54] |  < 0.00001 | 1.00 | |
 AT | 569 |  < 0.00001 | 88 | − 0.90[− 1.44,− 0.36] | 0.001 |  | |
 CT | 169 | 1.00 | 0 | − 0.90[− 1.14,− 0.66] |  < 0.00001 |  | |
 FBG (mmol/L) | 716 |  < 0.0001 | 78 | − 1.35[− 1.83,− 0.87] |  < 0.00001 | 0.74 | |
 AT | 547 |  < 0.0001 | 84 | − 1.31[− 1.91,− 0.71] |  < 0.0001 |  | |
 CT | 169 | 0.71 | 0 | − 1.46[− 2.09,− 0.82] |  < 0.00001 |  | |
The meta-analysis results by the durations of exercise interventions | |||||||
 HbA1c (%) | 786 |  < 0.00001 | 87 | − 0.81[− 1.21,− 0.40] |  < 0.00001 | 0.26 | |
 Short-to-medium term | 403 | 0.0002 | 91 | − 0.48[− 1.41,0.44] | 0.31 |  | |
 Long term | 383 |  < 0.00001 | 82 | − 1.06[− 1.47,− 0.65] |  < 0.0001 |  | |
 FBG (mmol/L) | 764 |  < 0.00001 | 81 | − 1.17[− 1.67,− 0.68] |  < 0.00001 | 0.45 | |
 Short-to-medium term | 254 | 0.005 | 81 | − 0.82[− 1.90,0.25] | 0.13 |  | |
 Long term | 510 |  < 0.0001 | 84 | − 1.34[− 2.16,− 0.53] | 0.001 |  | |
 LDL (mmol/L) | 236 | 0.35 | 9 | − 0.38[− 0.58,− 0.18] | 0.0002 | 0.36 | |
 Short-to-medium term | 142 | 0.25 | 23 | − 0.33[− 0.56,− 0.10] | 0.005 |  | |
 Long term | 94 | 0.28 | 13 | − 0.54[− 0.94,− 0.14] | 0.008 |  | |
 TG (mmol/L) | 236 | 0.28 | 22 | − 0.16[− 0.40,0.09] | 0.17 | 0.53 | |
 Short-to-medium term | 142 | 0.97 | 0 | − 0.20[− 0.48,0.08] | 0.96 |  | |
 Long term | 94 | 0.06 | 71 | − 0.01[− 0.53,0.50] | 0.22 |  | |
 SBP (mmHg) | 464 |  < 0.0001 | 85 | − 7.30[− 15.29,0.69] | 0.07 | 0.66 | |
 Short-to-medium term | 243 | 0.0001 | 93 | − 10.45[− 30.47,9.57] | 0.31 |  | |
 Long term | 221 | 0.008 | 79 | − 5.38[− 15.44,4.68] | 0.29 |  | |
 DBP (mmHg) | 464 | 0.002 | 77 | − 2.04[− 6.36,2.27] | 0.38 | 0.46 | |
 Short-to-medium term | 243 | 0.0002 | 93 | − 5.49[− 17.75,6.77] | 0.79 |  | |
 Long term | 221 | 0.15 | 47 | − 0.57[− 4.68,3.54] | 0.35 |  | |
 BMI (kg/m2) | 388 | 0.40 | 1 | -0.70[-1.57,0.16] | 0.11 | 0.17 | |
 Short-to-medium term | 197 | 0.95 | 0 | 0.42[-1.40,2.24] | 0.65 |  | |
 Long term | 191 | 0.34 | 8 | − 1.03[− 2.01,− 0.05] | 0.04 |  | |
The meta-analysis results by baseline levels | |||||||
 HbA1c (%) | 786 |  < 0.00001 | 87 | − 0.81[− 1.21,− 0.40] |  < 0.0001 | 0.99 | |
  ≤ 7.5% | 339 | 0.009 | 74 | − 0.79[− 1.19,− 0.40] |  < 0.0001 |  | |
  > 7.5% | 447 |  < 0.00001 | 90 | − 0.79[− 1.53,− 0.05] | 0.04 |  | |
 FBG (mmol/L) | 764 |  < 0.00001 | 81 |  |  < 0.00001 | 0.04 | |
  ≤ 7.5mmol/L | 275 | 0.009 | 79 |  | 0.24 |  | |
  > 7.5mmol/L | 489 | 0.04 | 71 |  |  < 0.00001 |  |