PMID 29244836

Research
All papers

Energy compensation after sprint- and high-intensity interval training

Schubert MM, Palumbo E, Seay RF, Spain KK, Clarke HE

Question

How much do adults compensate for exercise energy expenditure after SIT or HIIT, and what behavioral or fitness changes are associated with compensation?

Summary

This secondary analysis found large person-to-person variation in energy compensation after 4 weeks of cycling sprint or HIIT. People with low compensation tended to lose more fat and improve VO2max more, while high compensators had smaller fitness gains and gained fat mass despite similar reported food-intake changes.

Methodology

  • Healthy moderately active adults randomized to cycling SIT or HIIT.
  • 24 participants.
  • Cycle ergometer.
  • Work intervals: SIT 20 s; HIIT 1 min.
  • Recovery: SIT 2 min; HIIT 1 min.
  • Intensity: SIT all-out at 5% bodyweight resistance; HIIT at 90% PPO.
  • 10-20 min depending on protocol and week.
  • 3 sessions/week.
  • 4 weeks.
  • Secondary analysis of a 4-week randomized interval-training study
  • Energy compensation, Body composition, VO2max, and Non-exercise activity were tracked.

Outcomes

Energy compensation

Compensation ranged widely from large negative values to more than full compensation.

Mean compensation -346 +/- 634%; range -2081% to +805%.

Mixed

Fat mass

Low compensators lost fat mass, while high compensators gained fat mass.

-1.41 kg vs +0.33 kg; p<0.0001.

Mixed

VO2max

Low compensators had larger VO2max gains than high compensators.

+2.10 vs +0.41 mL/kg/min; p=0.008.

Improved

NEPA

Change in non-exercise physical activity was a strong predictor of compensation.

Final model R2=0.63; NEPA added R2=0.32, p=0.001.

Mixed

Insights

  • User energy compensation can overwhelm expected fat-loss effects from interval training.
  • Maintaining daily activity after HIIT may be as important as the workout itself.
  • Short HIIT programs should not promise predictable weight loss.

Limitations

  • Small sample
  • No non-exercise control group in this analysis
  • Self-reported diet records
  • Exercise energy expenditure estimated rather than directly measured
  • Short 4-week duration

Safety

  • The secondary analysis did not report adverse events.