Impact of High-Intensity Interval Training on Body Composition and Depressive Symptoms in Adults under Home Confinement
Question
Does an 8-week home-based Tabata HIIT program improve body composition and depressive symptoms in healthy adults during strict home confinement?
Summary
During COVID-19 home confinement, healthy adults assigned to 8 weeks of remotely supervised bodyweight Tabata HIIT reduced fat mass and depressive symptoms, while controls living normally in confinement gained weight and fat mass.
Methodology
- Healthy adults with physically active lifestyles before confinement
- 21 participants.
- Bodyweight functional exercises.
- Work intervals: 20 s.
- Recovery: 10 s rest.
- Intensity: High intensity by increasing execution speed; monitored with HR monitors and perceived exertion.
- 15 min warm-up plus 8-16 min Tabata work with 1-2.5 min between blocks.
- 2 sessions/week initially, progressing to 3 sessions/week.
- 8 weeks.
- Randomized controlled home-confinement intervention
- Body composition, Depressive symptoms, Dietary intake, and Home feasibility were tracked.
Outcomes
Fat mass
The HIIT group reduced fat mass while controls increased fat mass.
EG FM% t = 3.86, d = 0.57, p < 0.05; FM kg t = 4.62, d = 0.29, p < 0.05; controls increased FM% and FM kg
Depressive symptoms
Depressive symptoms decreased in the HIIT group by week 8, not week 4.
Week 1 to week 8 t = 6.48, d = 1.3, p < 0.05; reported -20.3%; control changes not significant
Weight and BMI
HIIT prevented significant weight/BMI gain seen in controls but did not significantly reduce weight or BMI.
EG weight and BMI changes not significant; CG weight t = -3.65, d = 0.26, p < 0.05; BMI t = -3.51, d = 0.52, p < 0.05
Lean mass
Lean mass and lean body mass index did not change significantly.
LM and LBMI protocol effects not significant
Insights
- Synchronous remote bodyweight HIIT can be delivered in small home spaces.
- During confinement, active controls may gain weight/fat even without significant calorie-intake changes.
- A progressive Tabata block structure is directly adaptable to home HIIT, but adverse events and adherence details were not deeply reported.
Limitations
- Small sample
- Home confinement limited measurement options
- No strength or aerobic-capacity outcomes
- Body composition measured by consumer bioimpedance
- Participants were healthy and active before confinement
Safety
- Sessions were remotely supervised and intensity was monitored by HR monitors and perceived exertion.
- Specific adverse-event counts were not reported in the the paper.