PMID 37251041

Research
All papers

A comparison of the effects of remote coaching HIIT training and combined exercise training on the physical and mental health of university students

Wang Y, Jia N, Zhou Y, Fu L, Fan L, Li B

Question

To compare the effects of remote coached high-intensity interval training and remote coached combined aerobic plus resistance exercise on physical fitness, body composition, sleep, and mental health in university students.

Summary

This randomized trial compared 8 weeks of remotely coached HIIT with remotely coached combined aerobic and resistance training in university students. Fifty-eight of 60 randomized students were analyzed. Both groups trained for 40 minutes, three times per week, with mobile or computer video supervision. HIIT produced a large within-group increase in estimated maximum oxygen uptake and improved several SCL-90 mental-health scores, while both groups improved body weight, BMI, body fat percentage, waist-to-hip ratio, and flexibility. Sleep findings were mixed, and the authors noted that evening HIIT duration and dose may have worsened sleep quality.

Methodology

  • Healthy normal-BMI non-athletic-major university students recruited from Shandong Normal University.
  • 58 participants.
  • Remote coached high-intensity interval training movements; exact exercise list not specified.
  • Intensity: High intensity monitored with exercise bracelet; exact target not specified.
  • 40 minutes: 5 minutes preparation, 30 minutes HIIT, 5 minutes relaxation.
  • 3 sessions per week.
  • 8 weeks.
  • Randomized parallel controlled exercise intervention comparing two active remote-coached exercise programmes.
  • SCL-90 mental health symptoms, Sleep quality, Maximum oxygen uptake, and Muscle strength were tracked.

Outcomes

Maximum oxygen uptake

HIIT substantially improved maximum oxygen uptake, whereas AR did not; between-group analysis favored HIIT.

HIIT 36.65 +/- 8.86 to 47.21 +/- 4.28, p=0.000, d=1.52; AR 40.44 +/- 4.72 to 39.32 +/- 6.57, p=0.413, d=0.20; group p=0.000.

Improved

SCL-90

HIIT improved total score and several subscales within group; AR improved psychoticism only within group; between-group differences were not significant for SCL-90 outcomes.

HIIT total score 113.32 +/- 16.37 to 104.41 +/- 13.96, p=0.000, d=0.59; group p=0.861.

Improved

PSQI sleep quality

Total PSQI did not significantly improve in either group; sleep efficiency worsened in HIIT and differed between groups, and the authors interpreted HIIT as potentially having a negative impact on sleep quality.

HIIT total PSQI 3.64 +/- 1.79 to 4.36 +/- 2.74, p=0.222; sleep efficiency 0.05 +/- 0.21 to 0.23 +/- 0.43, p=0.042, group p=0.007.

Mixed

Body composition

Both HIIT and AR improved body weight, BMI, body fat percentage, and waist-to-hip ratio within group, with no significant between-group differences.

Body weight p=0.000 in HIIT and p=0.001 in AR; BMI p=0.000 in both; body fat percentage p=0.002 in HIIT and p=0.000 in AR; waist-to-hip ratio p=0.001 in HIIT and p=0.000 in AR; group p values not significant.

Improved

Strength and flexibility

HIIT improved grip strength and flexibility; AR improved back muscle strength and flexibility; between-group differences were not significant.

HIIT grip p=0.031 and flexibility p=0.011; AR back muscle strength p=0.000 and flexibility p=0.028.

Mixed

Insights

  • Remote coached HIIT can improve aerobic fitness in healthy university students over 8 weeks.
  • Both remote HIIT and combined aerobic/resistance exercise may improve body composition in this population.
  • Long or evening HIIT sessions may be a poor fit when sleep quality is a priority.
  • Remote programming can combine pre-shared videos, live supervision, wearable intensity monitoring, attendance tracking, and scheduled progression.

Limitations

  • Small single-university sample.
  • No inactive or usual-care control group.
  • Exact HIIT exercises, work intervals, recovery intervals, and achieved intensity were not reported.
  • Sex counts in Table 1 do not sum to analyzed group sizes.
  • No long-term follow-up.
  • Mental health and sleep outcomes relied on questionnaires.

Safety

  • No adverse events or injuries were reported in the article.
  • The sample excluded major cardiometabolic/endocrine disease, smokers, heavy drinkers, pregnancy/planned pregnancy, and diagnosed psychological disorders.
  • The authors suggested that the HIIT dose and evening timing may have negatively affected sleep.