Evidence mapPaperPMID 41534763Full record

ReviewJournal of sport and health science2026

Dose‒response relationship between exercise and hepatic steatosis: A systematic review with Bayesian network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Xinyun Tan, Huihui Zou, Manjie Guo, Jiayu Liu, Xinjuan Huang, Ruoling Yu, Xuelian Liu, Chunxiang Qin

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of sport and health science, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Xinyun TanHealth Management Medicine Center and Nursing Department, the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, China; Xiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China.
Huihui ZouSchool of Nursing, Jishou University, Jishou 416000, China.
Manjie GuoXiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China.
Jiayu LiuXiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China.
Xinjuan HuangXiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China.
Ruoling YuXiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China.
Xuelian LiuHealth Management Medicine Center and Nursing Department, the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, China.
Chunxiang QinHealth Management Medicine Center and Nursing Department, the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, China. Electronic address: chunxiangqin@csu.edu.cn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCurrent guidelines offer unclear recommendations on exercise types and doses for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). This study aimed to: (a) identify the most effective exercise type; (b) model the dose‒response relationship between exercise and hepatic steatosis; (c) determine the minimum clinically significant dose.

methodsWe searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Scopus, Rehabilitation & Sports Medicine Source, clinicaltrials.gov, China Knowledge Network Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, VIP, and Sinomed databases from establishment to May 27, 2025 for randomized controlled trials on exercise interventions in MASLD. Network meta-analysis and dose‒response network meta-analysis were used.

resultsAmong 24 studies (961 participants), combined aerobic‒resistance exercise showed the highest surface under the cumulative ranking curve (0.81). A non-linear dose‒response revealed benefits plateauing at 630 metabolic equivalents (METs)-min/week (mean = -0.68, 95%CI: -0.95 to -0.40) and peaking at 850 MET-min/week (mean = -0.72, 95%CI: -0.97 to -0.49). Optimal doses were 640 MET-min/week for combined aerobic‒resistance exercise, 880 for high-intensity circuit training, and 590 for moderate-intensity continuous training. High-intensity interval training showed progressive benefits, while resistance exercise required exceeding 640 MET-min/week. The minimum clinically significant dose was 460 MET-min/week, but combined aerobic‒resistance exercise achieved this at only 130 MET-min/week.

conclusionA non-linear curve underscores key dose thresholds for efficacy and safety: 460 (minimum), 630 (cost-effective), and 850 MET-min/week (plateau). These equate to moderate-intensity exercise (4.5 METs) for 20, 30, or, 40 min 5 times/week, or vigorous-intensity exercise (7.5 METs) for 30 min 2, 3, or 4 times/week. Combined aerobic‒resistance exercise offered both efficacy and dose advantages.

Indexed as

Dose‒response meta-analysisExercise interventionHepatic steatosisMetabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver diseaseNetwork meta-analysis

Identifiers

PMID41534763
PMCPMC13091519

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.