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Effect of high-intensity interval training vs. moderate-intensity continuous training on cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight and obese individuals

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Published/Copyright: September 24, 2024

Abstract

Objectives

Our study aims to compare the effects of an 8-week high-intensity interval training (HIIT) vs. moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on cardiometabolic risk factors and on serum leptin levels in overweight and obese individuals.

Methods

Our quasi-experimental study involved 36 students who were assigned to HIIT, MICT or the control group. Using a bicycle ergometer, participants in the HIIT group performed 25 min of HIIT and those in the MICT group performed 35 min of moderate-intensity continuous exercise for three days a week for 8 weeks. Body composition estimated by bioimpedance analysis, blood lipids and serum leptin were measured pre-exercise and 8 weeks post-exercise.

Results

After 8 weeks of exercise, the participants in the MICT group showed a significant reduction in weight (p<0.01) and body mass index (BMI) (p<0.05). In the HIIT group, although weight reduction was noticed, the difference was not statistically significant compared to the pre-exercise values. In the control group, participants had a significant increase in their weight, BMI, and total body fat (p<0.05). On performing an inter-group comparison of the magnitude of change in body weight and BMI over 8 weeks of exercise, no difference was seen between the HIIT and MICT groups. No difference was observed in body fat indices and levels of random blood glucose, blood lipids and serum leptin pre and 8 weeks post-exercise.

Conclusions

On comparing the change in body weight and BMI over 8 weeks, no significant difference was found between the HIIT and MICT groups. However, HIIT was notably more time efficient.


Corresponding author: Dr. Anahita R. Shenoy Basti, Department of Physiology, Father Muller Medical College, Kankanady, Mangalore 575002, India, E-mail:

Award Identifier / Grant number: University notification no. RGU/ADV-RES/BR19/2019-20 dated: 29.04.2020

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences for providing the grant to conduct the study. We thank Fr Muller Research Center for providing the technical support and infrastructure to conduct the study.

  1. Research ethics: The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (as revised in 2013). The study was initiated after ethical clearance from the Institutional ethics Committee.

  2. Informed consent: Informed consent was obtained from all individuals included in this study.

  3. Author contributions: The authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.

  4. Competing interests: The authors state no conflict of interest.

  5. Research funding: The study is funded by Rajiv Gandhi University of Heath sciences staff grant. University notification no. RGU/ADV-RES/BR19/2019-20, Project code – 20MED352.

  6. Data availability: The data is not publicly available.

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Received: 2024-07-02
Accepted: 2024-08-16
Published Online: 2024-09-24

© 2024 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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