Background: Combined resistance and aerobic training (CT) is the most suitable form of exercise training to simultaneously improve strength and cardiometabolic profile in middle-aged and older adults. Recreational sports (RS) emerge as an alternative to CT to improve these outcomes. We performed a meta-analysis on the effects of RS and CT on systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in middle-aged and older adults and to compare these exercise interventions to a non-exercising control group (CON).

Methods: Search was conducted using the databases at PubMed, COCHRANE and SciELO between July and August 2020. Studies that included men and women aged ≥45 years, healthy or with values for SBP ≥130 mmHg or DBP ≥80 mmHg or with type 2 diabetes and performed RS or CT versus CON.

Results: From 6017 records, 27 studies were included (9 RS and 18 CT). The analysis included 1411 participants with 55 ± 8 years. RS and CT were associated with reductions in SBP (RS: -7.2 mmHg, P = 0.03; CT: -3.6 mmHg, P < 0.001) and DBP (RS: -3.6 mmHg, P = 0.02; CT: -3.1 mmHg, P < 0.001) versus CON. Only CT was associated with a reduction in HbA1c versus CON (-0.47%; P < 0.001).

Conclusions: RS and CT are effective exercise interventions to improve BP in middle-aged and older adults. CT seems to be an excellent strategy to reduce HbA1c, and future studies are necessary to confirm the effectiveness of RS to improve HbA1c.