The Beneficial Effects of Physical Activity: Is It Down to Your Genes? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Twin and Family Studies

Zadro, J. R.; Shirley, D.; Andrade, T. B.; Scurrah, K. J; Bauman, A.; Ferreira, P. H.

doi:10.1186/s40798-016-0073-9

Sports Medicine - Open

Table 4 Pooled within monozygotic (MZ) twin pair correlations (95% confidence intervals)

From: The Beneficial Effects of Physical Activity: Is It Down to Your Genes? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Twin and Family Studies

n number of twin pairs, VO ₂ max maximal oxygen uptake, BMI body mass index
*p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001

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Outcome	All studies	Studies including a combined physical activity and diet intervention	Studies only including a physical activity intervention
Body fat percentage (%)	0.55 (0.32–0.72)*** (n = 72) Poehlam A et al. (1987) Koenigstorfer J et al. (2011) Hopkins N et al. (2012) Bouchard C et al. (1994) Hainer V et al. (2000) Hamel P et al. (1986) Prud’Homme D et al. (1984) Afman G et al. (1988)	0.61 (0.28–0.82)** (n = 33) Poehlam A et al. (1987) Koenigstorfer J et al. (2011) Bouchard C et al. (1994) Hainer V et al. (2000)	0.49 (0.16–0.73)** (n = 39) Hopkins N et al. (2012) Hamel P et al. (1986) Prud’Homme D et al. (1984) Afman G et al. (1988)
BMI	0.69 (0.49–0.82)*** (n = 58) Koenigstorfer J et al. (2011) Hopkins N et al. (2012) Bouchard C et al. (1994) Hainer V et al. (2000) Prud’Homme D et al. (1984) Afman G et al. (1988)	0.79 (0.54–0.91)*** (n = 27) Koenigstorfer J et al. (2011) Bouchard C et al. (1994) Hainer V et al. (2000)	0.58 (0.23–0.79)** (n = 31) Hopkins N et al. (2012) Prud’Homme D et al. (1984) Afman G et al. (1988)
Fat free mass (kg)	0.57 (0.35–0.73)*** (n = 73) Poehlam A et al. (1987) Koenigstorfer J et al. (2011) Hopkins N et al. (2012) Bouchard C et al. (1994) Hainer V et al. (2000) Hamel P et al. (1986) Prud’Homme D et al. (1984) Afman G et al. (1988)	0.71 (0.43–0.87)*** (n = 33) Poehlam A et al. (1987) Koenigstorfer J et al. (2011) Bouchard C et al. (1994) Hainer V et al. (2000)	0.43 (0.09–0.68)* (n = 40) Hopkins N et al. (2012) Hamel P et al. (1986) Prud’Homme D et al. (1984) Afman G et al. (1988)
Fat mass (kg)	0.58 (0.13–0.83)* (n = 48) Poehlam A et al. (1987) Koenigstorfer J et al. (2011) Bouchard C et al. (1994) Hainer V et al. (2000) Hamel P et al. (1986) Prud’Homme D et al. (1984)	0.68 (0.16–0.90)* (n = 33) Poehlam A et al. (1987) Koenigstorfer J et al. (2011) Bouchard C et al. (1994) Hainer V et al. (2000)	0.27 (−0.36–0.73) (n = 15) Hamel P et al. (1986) Prud’Homme D et al. (1984)
Fat mass to fat free mass ratio	0.69 (0.42–0.85)*** (n = 36) Bouchard C et al. (1994) Hainer V et al. (2000) Hamel P et al. (1986) Prud’Homme D et al. (1984)	0.82 (0.58–0.93)*** (n = 21) Bouchard C et al. (1994) Hainer V et al. (2000)	0.30 (−0.33–0.75) (n = 15) Hamel P et al. (1986) Prud’Homme D et al. (1984)
Waist circumference (cm)	0.50 (0.09–0.77)* (n = 27) Koenigstorfer J et al. (2011) Bouchard C et al. (1994) Hainer V et al. (2000)		–
Hip circumference (cm)	0.51 (0.11–0.77)* (n = 27) Koenigstorfer J et al. (2011) Bouchard C et al. (1994) Hainer V et al. (2000)		–
Waist to hip ratio	0.29 (−0.16–0.64) (n = 27) Koenigstorfer J et al. (2011) Bouchard C et al. (1994) Hainer V et al. (2000)		–
Sum of skin folds (cm)	0.67 (0.37–0.85)*** (n = 30) Bouchard C et al. (1994) Hainer V et al. (2000) Prud’Homme D et al. (1984)	0.73 (0.39–0.89)*** (n = 21) Bouchard C et al. (1994) Hainer V et al. (2000)	0.49 (−0.26–0.87) (n = 9) Prud’Homme D et al. (1984)
Trunk fat	0.52 (0.12–0.78)* (n = 27) Hopkins N et al. (2012) Bouchard C et al. (1994) Hainer V et al. (2000)	0.56 (0.13–0.82)* (n = 21) Bouchard C et al. (1994) Hainer V et al. (2000)	0.30 (−0.68–0.89) (n = 6) Hopkins N et al. (2012)
Extremity skin fold (cm)	0.54 (−0.39–0.92) (n = 21) Bouchard C et al. (1994) Hainer V et al. (2000)		–
Trunk to extremity ratio	0.48 (−0.30–0.88) (n = 21) Bouchard C et al. (1994) Hainer V et al. (2000)		–
Weight (kg)	0.67 (0.48–0.79)*** (n = 73) Poehlam A et al. (1987) Koenigstorfer J et al. (2011) Hopkins N et al. (2012) Bouchard C et al. (1994) Hainer V et al. (2000) Hamel P et al. (1986) Prud’Homme D et al. (1984) Afman G et al. (1988)	0.73 (0.47–0.88)*** (n = 33) Poehlam A et al. (1987) Koenigstorfer J et al. (2011) Bouchard C et al. (1994) Hainer V et al. (2000)	0.61 (0.32–0.79)*** (n = 40) Hopkins N et al. (2012) Hamel P et al. (1986) Prud’Homme D et al. (1984) Afman G et al. (1988)
Absolute VO₂ max (L.min⁻¹)	0.38 (0.04–0.64)* (n = 42) Bouchard C et al. (1994) Hamel P et al. (1986) Prud’Homme D et al. (1984) Afman G et al. (1988)	0.52 (−0.38–0.92) (n = 7) Bouchard C et al. (1994)	0.36 (−0.01–0.64) (n = 35) Hamel P et al. (1986) Prud’Homme D et al. (1984) Afman G et al. (1988)
Relative VO₂ max (mL.min⁻¹.kg⁻¹)	0.39 (0.07–0.64)* (n = 48) Hopkins N et al. (2012) Bouchard C et al. (1994) Hamel P et al. (1986) Prud’Homme D et al. (1984) Afman G et al. (1988)	0.48 (−0.43–0.91) (n = 7) Bouchard C et al. (1994)	0.38 (0.04–0.64)* (n = 41) Hopkins N et al. (2012) Hamel P et al. (1986) Prud’Homme D et al. (1984) Afman G et al. (1988)