Abstract-Previous meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials on the effects of chronic dynamic aerobic endurance training on blood pressure reported on resting blood pressure only. Our aim was to perform a comprehensive meta-analysis including resting and ambulatory blood pressure, blood pressure-regulating mechanisms, and concomitant cardiovascular risk factors. Inclusion criteria of studies were: random allocation to intervention and control; endurance training as the sole intervention; inclusion of healthy sedentary normotensive or hypertensive adults; intervention duration of Ն4 weeks; availability of systolic or diastolic blood pressure; and publication in a peer-reviewed journal up to December 2003. The meta-analysis involved 72 trials, 105 study groups, and 3936 participants. After weighting for the number of trained participants and using a random-effects model, training induced significant net reductions of resting and daytime ambulatory blood pressure of, respectively, 3.0/2.4 mm Hg (PϽ0.001) and 3.3/3.5 mm Hg (PϽ0.01). The reduction of resting blood pressure was more pronounced in the 30 hypertensive study groups (Ϫ6.9/Ϫ4.9) than in the others (Ϫ1.9/Ϫ1.6; PϽ0.001 for all). Systemic vascular resistance decreased by 7.1% (PϽ0.05), plasma norepinephrine by 29% (PϽ0.001), and plasma renin activity by 20% (PϽ0.05). Body weight decreased by 1.2 kg (PϽ0.001), waist circumference by 2.8 cm (PϽ0.001), percent body fat by 1.4% (PϽ0.001), and the homeostasis model assessment index of insulin resistance by 0.31 U (PϽ0.01); HDL cholesterol increased by 0.032 mmol/L Ϫ1 (PϽ0.05). In conclusion, aerobic endurance training decreases blood pressure through a reduction of vascular resistance, in which the sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin system appear to be involved, and favorably affects concomitant cardiovascular risk factors. Key Words: exercise Ⅲ blood pressure Ⅲ risk factors R egular physical activity is considered a cornerstone in the prevention and management of hypertension. 1-3 Epidemiological studies indicate that greater physical activity or fitness is associated with a lower blood pressure (BP), and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials have shown that chronic dynamic aerobic endurance training is able to reduce BP. 3 Previous meta-analyses, including the most recent ones, 4 -6 focused on resting BP and did not report on other outcomes, such as ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM), mechanisms to explain the BP-lowering effect of exercise, and the influence on concomitant risk factors. The number of eligible randomized controlled trials and study groups has since substantially increased, which allows a more precise estimate of the overall effect of exercise training, more powerful subgroup analyses, and analyses of the determinants of the response. Moreover, a number of studies reported on ambulatory BP, BP-regulating mechanisms, and other cardiovascular risk factors. Therefore, the main aims of the current meta-analysis were to examine the influence of chronic dynamic aerobic endura...