This systematic review and meta-analysis analyzes the effect of physical exercise on the cardiorespiratory fitness of men according to type, intensity and duration of intervention, using data from randomized clinical trials; it also seeks to verify the dose-response relationship between duration and intensity of exercise and level of fitness. Databases were searched for reports of relevant studies. A methodological evaluation was carried out. In the statistical analysis, mean, standard deviation and sample size of each group were used. The mean age of the participants was 48.2 ± 17.1 years. The effect on men's VO2 (a measure of cardiovascular fitness) of five to 120 weeks of exercise of moderate to vigorous intensity was found to be a change of 10.190 L/min-1. A meta-regression analysis did not reveal significant results. A positive effect on VO2 of men of different age groups was observed after aerobic and resistance exercise interventions, indicating the beneficial effects of exercise on cardiorespiratory fitness.
Keywords: Cardiorespiratory fitness; Men; Physical exercise; Randomized clinical trial.
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