PMID 26844177

Research
All papers

Preliminary efficacy and feasibility of embedding high intensity interval training into the school day: A pilot randomized controlled trial

Costigan SA, Eather N, Plotnikoff RC, Taaffe DR, Pollock E, Kennedy SG, Lubans DR

Question

Can brief HIIT sessions be embedded into the school day, and what preliminary effects do aerobic and resistance-aerobic HIIT have on adolescent fitness, body composition, and motivation?

Summary

In one Australian secondary school, short 8-10 minute HIIT sessions embedded into PE and lunchtime were feasible and enjoyable. The resistance-and-aerobic program showed small cardiorespiratory fitness effects and both HIIT formats improved some body-size measures, but this was a small pilot.

Methodology

  • Year 9 and 10 students from one coeducational secondary school in Newcastle, Australia
  • 65 participants.
  • Bodyweight resistance and cardio exercises.
  • Work intervals: 30 seconds.
  • Recovery: 30 seconds.
  • Intensity: Designed as HIIT; average HR including warm-up/cooldown was 77.58% HRmax in RAP.
  • 8 minutes in weeks 1-3, 9 minutes in weeks 4-6, 10 minutes in weeks 7-8.
  • 3 sessions per week.
  • 8 weeks.
  • Pilot three-arm randomized controlled trial
  • Cardiorespiratory fitness, Body composition, Muscular fitness, and Feasibility were tracked.

Outcomes

CRF

The resistance-aerobic program showed a small favorable cardiorespiratory fitness effect versus control; the aerobic-only program showed trivial effects.

RAP vs control difference 5.2 PACER laps, 95% CI -4.2 to 14.7, d=0.4; estimated VO2max effect favored RAP by about 5.9 mL/kg/min.

Mixed

Body size

Both HIIT groups showed moderate favorable effects on BMI and waist circumference.

BMI effects AEP -0.27 kg/m2 and RAP -0.28 kg/m2, both d=-0.53; waist AEP -1.5 cm d=-0.5 and RAP -2.1 cm d=-0.7, p=0.024 for RAP.

Improved

Muscular fitness

No meaningful muscular-fitness effects were detected.

Push-up and standing long-jump effects were not meaningful in the pilot results.

No clear change

Feasibility

Recruitment, retention, attendance, and enjoyment supported feasibility.

Consent 86%, retention 90.8%, attendance 2.2 of 3 sessions/week, enjoyment 4.2/5 among 31/43 intervention students.

Improved

Insights

  • Very short school-day HIIT sessions can be embedded into PE and lunchtime with good retention.
  • Choice, music, partner format, certificates, and visible HR feedback were used to support enjoyment.
  • Bodyweight resistance plus cardio may be more promising than aerobic-only HIIT for adolescent CRF.

Limitations

  • Pilot trial from one school.
  • Small sample with more boys than girls.
  • Field fitness tests rather than gold-standard laboratory measures.
  • No objective accounting for physical activity outside the intervention.
  • No DXA or laboratory strength testing.

Safety

  • The NXML sections reviewed did not report adverse events.