Aerobic Versus Resistance Exercise for Overweight: Is there a Difference in Reporting Quality?

Area of Science:

• Exercise Science
• Obesity Research
• Clinical Trial Methodology

Background:

• Exercise is crucial for creating a caloric deficit and promoting weight loss in overweight individuals.
• Previous research indicates suboptimal reporting of exercise interventions in various medical studies.
• The quality of exercise reporting in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for overweight management needs thorough assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the completeness of exercise intervention reporting in RCTs focused on overweight treatment.
• To compare reporting quality between different exercise modalities, specifically aerobic exercise (AE) and combined aerobic and resistance exercise (ARE).

Main Methods:

• Two independent reviewers assessed 47 RCTs using established intervention reporting guidelines.
• Completeness of reporting was quantified using descriptive statistics.
• A chi-squared (χ²) test was employed to analyze differences in reporting between AE and ARE interventions.

Main Results:

• Studies, on average, fulfilled only 61% (AE) and 47% (ARE) of the guideline items for exercise reporting.
• Significant disparities were observed in reporting exercise progression (91% for AE vs. 38% for ARE, p<0.001) and detailed exercise descriptions (0% for AE vs. 50% for ARE, p<0.001).

Conclusions:

• Exercise intervention reporting in RCTs for overweight management is currently inadequate.
• Distinct differences in reporting quality between AE and ARE highlight the need for more specific and comprehensive reporting guidelines.
• Improving reporting standards is essential for the accurate interpretation and replication of exercise-based weight management research.