SynthesisFrontiers in physiology2026
The effects of detraining on body composition and cardiometabolic health: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Synthesis in Frontiers in physiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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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.
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Abstract
Background: Structured exercise interventions can significantly improve body composition and cardiometabolic health. However, a comprehensive synthesis of evidence regarding the effects of stopping training on body composition and cardiometabolic health outcomes remains lacking. Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of detraining after exercise on body composition and cardiometabolic health. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, SPORTDiscus, MEDLINE, and CINAHL were searched. Randomized controlled trials that involved an exercise and detraining phase were included. Risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane RoB2. A meta-analysis was performed to estimate effect sizes comparing pre-intervention to post-intervention and pre-intervention to post-detraining for body composition and cardiometabolic health outcomes. Subgroup analyses were stratified into short-term (≤ 2 months), medium-term (2-6 months, including 6 months), and long-term (> 6 months) intervals. Results: 86 studies (n=5,670) were included. Meta-analysis indicated that after exercise withdrawal, overall reductions in Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and fasting blood glucose (FBG) relative to baseline remained significant, and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) remained borderline significantly reduced. By detraining duration, compared with baseline, body mass, waist circumference, and maximal oxygen uptake remained significantly improved relative to baseline in the short-, medium-, and long-term subgroups; Body mass index, peak oxygen uptake, and fat mass remained significantly improved in the short- and medium-term subgroups; Systolic blood pressure remained significantly decreased in the short- and long-term subgroups; Body fat percentage remained significantly decreased in the short-term subgroup and was borderline significantly improved in the medium-term subgroup; Diastolic blood pressure, MAP, and triglycerides remained significantly improved in the short-term subgroup. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol remained significantly improved in the short-term subgroup; FBG, HOMA-IR, and fasting insulin remained significantly improved in the short-term subgroup; Fat-free mass remained significantly decreased in the medium-term subgroup; WHR, muscle mass, lean body mass, skinfold thickness, resting heart rate, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were no longer significant in any of the follow-up subgroups. Conclusions: Exercise-induced health benefits may not immediately return to baseline levels after detraining and may exhibit residual effects in an outcome-specific and time-dependent manner. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD420251149494.
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