PMID 26681833

Research
All papers

Sprint interval training (SIT) is an effective method to maintain cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and glucose homeostasis in Scottish adolescents

Martin R, Buchan DS, Baker JS, Young J, Sculthorpe N, Grace FM

Question

Can school-based sprint interval training maintain cardiorespiratory fitness and glucose homeostasis better than standard physical education in adolescents?

Summary

In Scottish adolescents, replacing standard physical education with seven weeks of school-based running sprint intervals helped maintain cardiorespiratory fitness and glucose-insulin markers after summer vacation, while the standard PE group worsened. Attendance was a challenge in the SIT group.

Methodology

  • Apparently healthy Scottish adolescents in school PE classes
  • 43 participants.
  • 20 m shuttle running sprints.
  • Work intervals: 30 seconds.
  • Recovery: 30 seconds passive recovery.
  • Intensity: Average achieved 179 +/- 1.9 bpm, about 87% HRmax.
  • Brief SIT block after 10 minutes warm-up/stretching.
  • 3 sessions per week.
  • 7 weeks.
  • School-based randomized controlled quasi-experimental intervention
  • Cardiorespiratory fitness, Glucose homeostasis, Physical activity, and Adherence were tracked.

Outcomes

CRF

SIT maintained or trended upward for CRF while standard PE decreased.

Group-by-time p<0.01, ES=0.93; SIT trend p=0.06; SPE decreased p<0.01.

Improved

Glucose

Fasted glucose remained more stable with SIT while standard PE increased.

SPE increased p<0.01; post-group difference p<0.05.

Improved

Insulin

Insulin trended downward in SIT and increased in standard PE.

SIT p=0.08 trend; SPE p=0.01; post between-group p<0.01.

Improved

Adherence

SIT had lower adherence than standard PE.

Six of 26 SIT participants failed the 80% attendance requirement; SPE completion was 23 of 23.

Safety concern

Insights

  • Brief school-based 30:30 running SIT can be time efficient but may face attendance challenges.
  • Simple progression by sprint count is easy to operationalize.
  • Adolescent sprint programs should be supervised and screened.

Limitations

  • Short seven-week intervention.
  • High-fit adolescent cohort limits generalizability.
  • No objective physical activity measure.
  • Food diary under-reporting risk.
  • No pre-vacation dietary data.
  • Attendance attrition in SIT.

Safety

  • No adverse events were explicitly reported in the the paper.
  • Participants were PAR-Q screened and heart rate was monitored.