PMID 35336798

Research
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Prevalence of Positive Effects on Body Fat Percentage, Cardiovascular Parameters, and Cardiorespiratory Fitness after 10-Week High-Intensity Interval Training in Adolescents

Domaradzki J, Koźlenia D, Popowczak M

Question

How often do adolescents show positive changes in body fat percentage, blood pressure, and cardiorespiratory fitness after a 10-week school-based HIIT program, and do sex or BMI status modify those patterns?

Summary

In a school physical education study, 141 adolescents completed 10 weeks of either standard PE or one weekly 14-minute bodyweight Tabata-style HIIT session inside PE. The HIIT group showed more frequent positive changes in systolic blood pressure and fitness index than controls, while body fat percentage findings were mixed and sex/BMI patterns suggested boys, especially lower-BMI boys, responded more often.

Methodology

  • Secondary-school adolescents completing PE-based intervention or control PE.
  • 141 participants.
  • Bodyweight Tabata-style exercise.
  • Work intervals: 20 s.
  • Recovery: 10 s, plus 1 min between three Tabata sessions.
  • Intensity: Target 75-80% HRmax; achieved mean HR 156.2 +/- 17.8 bpm.
  • 14 min HIIT within a 45 min PE lesson.
  • 1 session/week.
  • 10 weeks.
  • Class-randomized controlled school physical education intervention.
  • Body fat percentage, Blood pressure, and Fitness index were tracked.

Outcomes

Positive changes

HIIT had more positive SBP and fitness-index responders than control, but body-fat responder prevalence was higher in controls.

EG positive changes: BFP 60.27%, SBP 83.56%, DBP 64.38%, FI 73.97%; CG: BFP 70.59%, SBP 38.24%, DBP 70.59%, FI 52.94%.

Mixed

Blood pressure

HIIT increased prevalence of favorable systolic blood pressure change and was reported to affect BP responder patterns.

SBP positive change: EG 61/73 vs CG 26/68.

Improved

Fitness index

HIIT increased prevalence of favorable fitness-index change.

FI positive change: EG 54/73 vs CG 36/68.

Improved

Sex and BMI

Boys and lower-BMI boys appeared more responsive; girls less often showed linked FI/BFP improvements.

The authors used log-linear analysis, MCA, and clustering to describe sex/BMI-dependent patterns.

Mixed

Insights

  • A 14-minute screen-guided bodyweight HIIT block can fit into a PE lesson.
  • Responder prevalence may be a useful framing because not all adolescents improve on all outcomes.
  • Avoid promising body-fat improvements from this protocol; the control group also improved.

Limitations

  • No maturation-stage control.
  • No nutrition control.
  • No follow-up after the 10-week intervention.
  • Harvard Step Test instead of direct VO2max.
  • Once-weekly HIIT dose.

Safety

  • No adverse effects were observed.
  • Ten pupils were excluded for medical contraindications before participation.