Table 3 The characteristics of studies included in the systematic review and meta-analysis

Saremi and Yaghoubi 2016 [21]

Iran

28.31 ± 5.3 (18–50)

10

10

24.88 ± 1.23

25.26 ± 1.37

14.4 ± 5.2

14.1 ± 5.5

˃ 0.05

11.22 ± 4.1

11.6 ± 3.9

˃ 0.05

8 weeks of resistance training in three sessions per week (each training session includes 1 to 2 rounds of 5 to 20 repetitions with an intensity of 40 to 60% of a maximum repetition)

Semi-experimental with pre-test-post-test design

ELISA

Saremi et al., 2013 [22]

Iran

30.24 ± 4.41 (20–40)

11

11

28.29 ± 5.73

28.48 ± 6.29

14.44 ± 7.62

15.93 ± 7.74

0.2

16.44 ± 5.47

17.20 ± 6.44

-

8 weeks of aerobic exercise three sessions per week (40–45 min per session)

Semi-experimental with pre-test-post-test design and control group

ELISA

Saremi and Rajabi 2016 [23]

Iran

28.16 ± 4.29 (20–40)

10

10

32.42 ± 4.65

25.26 ± 1.37

12.3 ± 4.1

12.1 ± 4.5

˃ 0.05

10.36 ± 4.4

10.4 ± 3.7

˃ 0.05

8 weeks of aerobic exercise three sessions per week (50–60 min per session)

Semi-experimental with pre-test-post-test design

ELISA

Saremi et al., 2014 [24]

Iran

28.16 ± 4.29 (20–40)

10

10

30.01 ± 4.7

29.08 ± 4.6

10.11 ± 3.8

7.6 ± 3.6

˂ 0.05

15.1 ± 3.5

17.2 ± 2.8

-

8 weeks of pilates training three times a week (60 min per session)

Semi-experimental with pre-test-post-test design and control group

ELISA

Al-Eisa et al., 2017 [25]

Egypt

27.9 ± 4.1

30

30

33.45 ± 2.75

28.5 ± 2.25

10.5 ± 3.56

8.92 ± 3.23

˂ 0.05

9.5 ± 5.45

7.9 ± 4.25

-

12 weeks of aerobic exercise

Semi-experimental with pre-test-post-test design

ELISA

Vosnakis-1, 2013 [26]

Greece

26.95 ± 4.77

20

61

34.83 ± 6.39

31.9 ± 6.09

7.07 ± 4.86

10.87 ± 5.84

0.003

5.34 ± 1.84

5.00 ± 2.55

0.596

12 weeks of aerobic exercise

Semi-experimental with pre-test-post-test design

ELISA

Vosnakis-2, 2013 [26]

Greece

26.95 ± 4.77

20

61

34.83 ± 6.39

30.21 ± 5.78

7.07 ± 4.86

8.26 ± 4.91

0.005

5.34 ± 1.84

5.16 ± 3.11

0.963

24 weeks of aerobic exercise

Semi-experimental with pre-test-post-test design

ELISA

Hosseini et al., 2019 [27]

Iran

30.01 ± 1.70 (20–35)

20

20

27.01 ± 1.15

26.54±1.03

10.67 ± 0.75

10.4 0± 0.77

0.001

12.65 ± 1.23

12.41 ± 0.94

0.16

8 weeks of resistance exercise

Randomized clinical trial (registration: not reported)

ELISA

Nybacka Nybacka et al., 2013 [28]

Sweden

31.3 ± 4.8

14

17

34.8 ± 5.2

34.1 ± 5.7

6.6 ± 3.9

6.6 ± 4.2

-

7.1 ± 4.3

6.1 ± 4.0

-

16 weeks three times a week resistance exercise

Randomized clinical trial (registration: ISRCTN48342048)

ELISA

Wu et al., 2021 [29]

China

32.7 ± 3.2

19

19

23.8 ± 3.0

21.3 ± 2.1

17.6 ± 5.1

14.8 ± 3.6

0.021

18.4 ± 5.8

17.9 ± 4.7

0.684

12 weeks of aerobic exercise

Randomized clinical trial (registration: not reported)

ELISA

Moran et al., 2011 [30]

Australia

30.6 ± 7.1

7

8

33.1 ± 3.6

32.9 ± 4.0

5.91 ± 2.05

4.59 ± 1.53

0.007

5.85 ± 2.3

5.0 ± 2.1

-

12 weeks of resistance exercise 3 times a week and 1-h session

Randomized clinical trial (registration: ISRCTN84763265)

-

Leonhardt et al., 2015 [31]

Sweden

29.5 (21–37)

29

30

26.6 (20.4–44.3)

24.5 (20.6–37.6)

6.70 ± 2.26

3.98 ± 1.56

-

6.60 ± 2.3

8.28 ± 2.5

-

16 weeks of resistance exercise 3 times a week and 1-h session

Randomized clinical trial (registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier NCT00484705))

ELISA

Nidhi et al., 2013 [32]

India

16.22 ± 1.13

45

45

20.39 ± 2.00

20.41 ± 2.07

6.25 ± 3.79

3.73 ± 2.25

0.006

6.45 ± 3.91

5.57 ± 2.79

-

12 weeks, yoga exercises in a 1-h session once a day

Randomized clinical trial (registration: REFCTRI-2008

000291)

-