Table 2 Estimates (direct pairwise and network meta-analysis, random effects models) of effect size (95% confidence intervals/95% credible intervals) expressed as mean difference for the effects of diet + exercise vs. diet, diet + exercise vs. exercise and diet vs. exercise on anthropometric outcomes, blood lipids, blood pressure and cardiorespiratory fitness and between-study heterogeneity variance ( τ ² / τ )

17

2,317

-1.38

[-1.98, -0.79]

0.00

0%

-1.38

[-2.62, -0.17]

2.06

[1.37, 2.96]

8

1,124

-1.68

[-2.66, -0.70]

0.00

0%

-1.69

[-3.32, -0.20]

1.36

[0.07, 3.43]

9

1,012

-1.65

[-2.81, -0.49]

1.95

61%

-1.89

[-3.44, -0.43]

2.08

[1.29, 3.24]

6

646

-0.01

[-0.02, -0.01]

0.00

0%

-0.01

[-0.05, 0.03]

0.06

[0.04, 0.10]

9

1,175

-2.19

[-7.84, 3.46]

54.09

62%

-2.51

[-7.61, 2.29]

5.42

[0.86, 10.84]

8

1,147

-0.93

[-6.14, 4.27]

45.03

65%

-1.54

[-6.16, 3.14]

5.29

[1.26, 9.97]

9

1,175

1.62

[0.28, 2.95]

2.46

51%

-1.29

[-1.38, 3.86]

4.03

[2.38, 6.33]

9

1,175

-10.08

[-17.38, -2.79]

0.00

0%

-9.90

[-19.98, -0.96]

7.28

[0.37, 19.4]

7

1,099

-1.20

[-2.26, -0.15]

0.74

28%

-1.10

[-2.34, 0.01]

0.92

[0.04, 2.45]

7

1,099

-0.24

[-1.45, 0.97]

0.00

0%

-0.39

[-1.89, 1.01]

0.87

[0.04, 2.62]

6

810

3.61

[2.07, 5.14]

4.19

88%

3.75

[2.28, 5.32]

1.94

[1.13, 3.18]

9

1,350

-4.13

[-5.62, -2.64]

4.36

77%

-4.32

[-5.74, -2.90]

2.06

[1.37, 2.96]

3

409

-3.00

[-5.81, -0.20]

5.24

69%

-3.45

[-5.32, -1.23]

1.36

[0.07, 3.43]

5

690

-3.60

[-6.15, -1.05]

8.82

92%

-3.87

[-5.61, -2.18]

2.08

[1.29, 3.24]

4

420

-0.01

[-0.02, -0.00]

0.00

15%

-0.007

[-0.06, 0.04]

0.06

[0.04, 0.10]

4

420

-11.36

[-15.93, -6.79]

0.00

0%

-7.50

[-13.47, -1.39]

5.42

[0.86, 10.84]

4

420

-10.03

[-14.28, -5.78]

2.22

8%

-5.90

[-11.39, -0.23]

5.29

[1.26, 9.97]

4

420

-0.34

[-2.82, 2.14]

6.80

76%

0.17

[-3.14, 3.32]

4.03

[2.38, 6.33]

4

420

-11.18

[-26.99, 4.62]

138.3

38%

-13.34

[-25.92, -2.12]

7.28

[0.37, 19.4]

4

420

-2.06

[-3.39, -0.72]

0.00

0%

-2.22

[-3.93, -0.74]

0.92

[0.04, 2.45]

4

420

-2.84

[-4.54, -1.13]

0.00

0%

-2.70

[-4.57, -0.85]

0.87

[0.04, 2.62]

5

645

2.13

[1.52, 2.74]

0.05

9%

2.24

[0.57, 3.90]

1.94

[1.13, 3.18]

13

1,638

-2.93

[-4.18, -1.68]

3.70

73%

-2.93

[-4.20, -1.66]

2.06

[1.37, 2.96]

4

539

-1.75

[-4.12, 0.62]

4.80

71%

-1.76

[-3.48, 0.44]

1.36

[0.07, 3.43]

9

964

-2.20

[-3.75, -0.66]

4.66

82%

-1.97

[-3.45, -0.45]

2.08

[1.29, 3.24]

4

414

-0.00

[-0.01, 0.01]

0.00

16%

0.002

[-0.05, 0.05]

0.06

[0.04, 0.10]

7

665

-3.91

[-8.11, 0.30]

9.04

22%

-4.98

[-10.22, 0.64]

5.42

[0.86, 10.84]

7

665

-3.19

[-6.85, 0.48]

6.45

21%

-4.36

[-9.25, 0.70]

5.29

[1.26, 9.97]

7

665

-0.96

[-1.88, -0.04]

0.00

0%

-1.12

[-4.06, -1.76]

4.03

[2.38, 6.33]

7

665

-3.80

[-12.21, 4.62]

0.00

0%

-3.44

[-13.99, 6.65]

7.28

[0.37, 19.4]

6

573

-1.33

[-3.00, 0.35]

11.19

37%

-1.12

[-2.67, 0.31]

0.92

[0.04, 2.45]

6

578

-2.19

[-4.23, -0.15]

2.07

25%

-2.31

[-4.10, 0.51]

0.87

[0.04, 2.62]

6

677

-1.16

[-2.42, 0.09]

2.17

80%

-1.15

[-3.16, 0.04]

1.94

[1.13, 3.18]