# Can 16 Minutes of HIIT Improve Attentional Resources in Young Students?

PMID: 37606411
Journal: Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology
Published: 2023 Aug 11
Authors: Andrade-Lara KE, Latorre Román PÁ, Párraga Montilla JA, Cabrera Linares JC

## Question

Does a single 16-minute HIIT session improve selective attention and visuoperceptual ability in young students?

## Summary

In 134 school students, one supervised 16-minute bodyweight-style HIIT session improved selective attention and visuoperceptual test scores compared with watching a documentary. The study was acute and did not report adverse events or adherence beyond completing the single class session.

## Population

- 134 adolescent students randomized by cluster to HIIT or documentary control.
- Sample size: 134
- Age: 12.83 +/- 1.23 years
- Sex: Mixed; reported sex totals are internally inconsistent
- Fitness level: Mixed school population
- Health status: No intellectual or physical disabilities

## Methodology

- Quasi-experimental cluster-randomized acute controlled study
- Single acute session
- School academic day, first hour at 8 a.m.
- Randomized and controlled study design.

## Protocol

- 16-minute school HIIT.
- Modality: Bodyweight circuit and 20 m sprints.
- Work intervals: 30 s.
- Recovery: 30 s.
- Sets or repetitions: 4 sets of 4 one-minute exercises.
- Intensity: Borg RPE >6/10; achieved 7.52 +/- 1.54.
- Session duration: 16 min main set plus 5 min warm-up.
- Frequency: Single session.
- Program length: Single acute session.
- Progression: None.
- Documentary control.
- Modality: Seated video viewing.
- Sets or repetitions: One documentary session.
- Intensity: Sedentary; RPE 1.04 +/- 1.05.
- Frequency: Single session.
- Program length: Single acute session.
- Progression: None.

## Outcomes

### Attention
Status: improved
HIIT improved hits, ICI, and attentional efficacy and reduced errors and omissions.

Time x group interactions: hits F=194.98, mistakes F=24.71, omissions F=83.92, ICI F=62.71, AE F=195.16; p<=0.001.

### RPE
Status: mixed
HIIT produced much higher perceived exertion than documentary control.

HIIT 7.52 +/- 1.54 vs control 1.04 +/- 1.05; p<0.001.

## Practical Insights

- A 16-minute 30:30 circuit can be delivered in a school setting with simple supervision.
- RPE can confirm that students reached a high perceived intensity.
- Use caution applying acute cognition findings to long-term learning claims.

## Limitations

- Single acute session.
- No adverse-event reporting.
- No objective heart-rate intensity monitoring.
- Baseline activity differed between groups.
- Reported sex totals appear internally inconsistent.

## Safety And Adherence

- No adverse events, injuries, or symptom events were reported in the reviewed article text.

## Original Sources

- [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37606411/) (pubmed)
- [DOI](https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk8030116) (doi)
- [PMC full text](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10443255/) (full text)

## Agent Guidance

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