# High-intensity interval training elicits more enjoyment and positive affective valence than moderate-intensity training over a 12-week intervention in overweight young women

PMID: 35646131
Journal: Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness
Published: 2022-05-11
Authors: Li F, Kong Z, Zhu X, Chow BC, Zhang D, Liang W, Shang B, Liu Y, Zhang H

## Question

How do enjoyment and affective valence differ across repeated sprint training, two HIIT protocols, and moderate continuous training during a 12-week weight-control intervention?

## Summary

Over 12 weeks in overweight young women, two cycling HIIT protocols produced more enjoyment than moderate continuous cycling, and the 90% VO2peak HIIT protocol had more positive affect than the 120% VO2peak protocol. All training was supervised, lab-based, and cycling-specific.

## Population

- Overweight young women at a Chinese university
- Sample size: 56
- Age: 18 to 23 years
- Sex: Female
- Fitness level: Low regular activity
- Health status: Overweight and screened free of major disorders

## Methodology

- Four-arm randomized controlled intervention trial
- 12 weeks
- Supervised laboratory cycle ergometry
- Randomized and controlled study design.

## Protocol

- HIIT90.
- Modality: Cycle ergometer.
- Work intervals: 4 min.
- Recovery: 3 min passive recovery.
- Sets or repetitions: Repeated until 200 kJ completed.
- Intensity: 90% VO2peak.
- Session duration: About 26 min exercise plus warm-up/cool-down.
- Frequency: 3 to 4 sessions/week.
- Program length: 12 weeks.
- Progression: Workload adjusted after VO2peak reassessment every 4 weeks.
- MICT.
- Modality: Cycle ergometer.
- Work intervals: Continuous.
- Sets or repetitions: 200 kJ continuous work.
- Intensity: 60% VO2peak.
- Session duration: About 57 min exercise plus warm-up/cool-down.
- Frequency: 3 to 4 sessions/week.
- Program length: 12 weeks.
- Progression: Workload adjusted to VO2peak.

## Outcomes

### Enjoyment
Status: improved
Both HIIT protocols had higher enjoyment than MICT.

PACES: MICT 80.8 +/- 11.8, HIIT120 92.5 +/- 11.4, HIIT90 96.8 +/- 13.9; group-by-time p<0.001.

### Affect
Status: mixed
HIIT90 had more positive affect than HIIT120.

Feeling Scale HIIT90 1.5 +/- 1.4 versus HIIT120 0.2 +/- 1.2.

### VO2peak
Status: improved
VO2peak increased in all four exercise groups.

Time p<0.001; group-by-time p=0.006.

## Practical Insights

- Enjoyment can be higher with HIIT than longer MICT in supervised cycling.
- A very hard interval prescription may reduce affect compared with a hard but lower-intensity prescription.
- Psychological response should be measured over repeated sessions, not only once.

## Limitations

- Laboratory setting
- No follow-up of real-world exercise behavior
- Young overweight women only
- Cycling-only protocols
- High supervised compliance may not generalize

## Safety And Adherence

- No adverse events occurred.

## Original Sources

- [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35646131/) (pubmed)
- [DOI](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesf.2022.05.001) (doi)
- [PMC full text](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9120050/) (full text)

## Agent Guidance

Preserve the paper-level scope of this note. Do not generalize beyond the population, protocol, measured outcomes, and limitations above.