PMID 39408141

Research
All papers

Adherence Patterns and Health Outcomes in Spanish Young Women Participating in a Virtual-Guided HIIT Program: Insights from the Randomized Controlled WISE Trial

Ferrando-Terradez I, San Martín Valenzuela C, Dueñas L, Alcántara E, Sendín-Magdalena A, Ezzatvar Y

Question

Does an unsupervised virtual-guided HIIT program improve adherence, daily steps, self-reported physical activity, sleep quality, and quality of life among young women compared with control?

Summary

This Spanish center report from the WISE randomized trial tested a 6-month remotely delivered, app-guided HIIT program in young sedentary women. The program had moderate adherence among completers, but daily steps decreased in both intervention and control groups, sleep quality worsened, and quality-of-life scores did not change. Self-reported physical activity shifted upward, but group differences were not significant.

Methodology

  • Sedentary young women recruited from schools and universities.
  • 106 participants.
  • Mobile-app exercise videos.
  • Intensity: Gradually increased; two intensity levels offered from session 10; perceived exertion averaged 6.34 on modified Borg scale.
  • 20-30 minutes including 5-7 minute warm-up, 10-15 minute HIIT, and 5-7 minute cooldown/stretching.
  • Adherence-duration criterion was at least 20 minutes twice per week; prescribed weekly frequency not clearly stated in this article.
  • 6 months.
  • Single-blind randomized controlled trial report from the Spanish WISE study center.
  • Daily steps, Self-reported physical activity, Sleep quality, and Quality of life / lifestyle control were tracked.

Outcomes

Daily steps

Daily steps decreased over time in both intervention and control groups, with no significant group-by-time interaction.

Time effect F(1.61,133.92)=15.43, p<0.01, partial eta squared=0.16; group effect p=0.12.

Safety concern

Sleep quality

PSQI scores worsened at midterm and post-intervention in both groups.

Time effect F(1.84,152.73)=24.65, p<0.01, partial eta squared=0.23; group effect p=0.07.

Safety concern

Quality of life

HLPCQ quality-of-life/lifestyle score did not significantly change.

Time effect p=0.89; group effect p=0.71.

No clear change

Self-reported physical activity

IPAQ categories shifted from low toward moderate/high activity in both groups, but groups did not differ statistically.

Intervention time effect chi-square(2)=46.97, p<0.01; control chi-square(2)=16.28, p<0.01; no group differences at measurement times.

Mixed

Insights

  • Remote HIIT needs adherence monitoring beyond video access because only about one-third met the twice-weekly 20-minute duration criterion.
  • Daily steps may decline even when self-reported activity improves, so apps should monitor total activity compensation.
  • Sleep should be monitored when high-intensity programs are delivered remotely.

Limitations

  • Spanish-center analysis rather than full multinational WISE trial.
  • External factors such as season, exam periods, holidays, and temperature were not controlled.
  • Menstrual cycle was not controlled.
  • No long-term post-program follow-up.
  • Exact interval structure and physiological intensity targets were not reported in this outcomes article.

Safety

  • No explicit adverse-event reporting was found in the the paper.
  • Cardiac problems incompatible with exercise were an exclusion criterion.