Reducing postprandial triglycerides (TG) can lower the risk for cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to perform a meta-analytic review of the literature to estimate the effect of prior exercise on postprandial lipemia. A total of 121 effects were found from 76 studies for the total TG response and 70 effects from 44 studies for the incremental area under the curve (iAUC) TG response. The weighted mean effect was moderate for the total TG response, Cohen's d = -0.60 (P < 0.0001), and for the iAUC response, Cohen's d = -0.59 (P < 0.0001). Moderator analysis revealed women exhibited a larger reduction (P < .01) in the total TG response following exercise (d = -0.96) than men (d = -0.57); high-intensity interval training induced a larger reduction (P < .05) in the iAUC response (d = -1.49) than aerobic (d = -0.58) or resistance (d = -0.13) exercise, and participants maintaining an energy deficit following exercise exhibited a greater reduction in the iAUC response (d = -0.67) compared with participants in energy balance (d = -0.28). We conclude that prior acute exercise reduces postprandial lipemia, with the magnitude of effect influenced by sex, type of exercise, and energy deficit following exercise.
Keywords: acute; lipid metabolism; meta-analysis; test meal; triglycerides.