# Relationship between psychological empowerment, physical activity enjoyment, and response to a HIIT Program in physically inactive young women: a prospective multicentre study

PMID: 39871301
Journal: BMC women's health
Published: 2025 Jan 27
Authors: Ferrando-Terradez I, Núñez-Cortés R, López-Bueno L, Alcántara E, Calatayud J, Casaña J, Parčina I, Dueñas L

## Question

Are enjoyment and psychological empowerment associated with physical activity and fitness responses to a 6-month app-based HIIT program in physically inactive young women?

## Summary

A 6-month app-based home HIIT program for insufficiently active young women was associated with higher self-reported physical activity and better plank performance among completers, but the study had no control group and very high dropout.

## Population

- Physically inactive young women aged 15-24 years recruited from schools and universities.
- Sample size: 61
- Age: 20.1 +/- 2.7 years at baseline among completers
- Sex: Young women only
- Fitness level: Insufficiently active by WHO recommendations and IPAQ score <3.
- Health status: Generally healthy; diabetes, unsafe cardiac conditions, severe COVID-19 history, and unwillingness to wear a smartwatch were exclusionary.

## Methodology

- Prospective multicentre single-arm intervention
- 6 months
- Remote app-based home program across Spain, Serbia, and Italy

## Protocol

- WISE app home HIIT.
- Modality: No-equipment bodyweight video workouts.
- Work intervals: 40 s high-intensity exercise.
- Recovery: 20 s rest.
- Sets or repetitions: Four exercises per session; total interval repetitions not clearly reported.
- Intensity: High intensity with standard/advanced options.
- Session duration: 25-30 min.
- Frequency: 2 sessions/week.
- Program length: 6 months.
- Progression: Weekly progression and two intensity options from session 10 onward.

## Outcomes

### Physical activity
Status: improved
Self-reported MET-min/week increased at 3 and 6 months.

Time effect p<0.001, eta2=0.336; baseline 1030.2, 3 months 2872.1, 6 months 2604.5 MET-min/week.

### Plank
Status: improved
Plank performance improved over time.

Time effect p=0.005, eta2=0.085; post-hoc p value in text appeared internally inconsistent.

### Sleep
Status: no clear change
Sleep quality did not significantly improve and worsened numerically.

PSQI p=0.428; baseline 6.9 and 6-month 8.8.

## Practical Insights

- A 40 s work / 20 s rest bodyweight format is directly usable in an app.
- Enjoyment is a measurable retention and response variable.
- Remote HIIT needs strong retention design because dropout can dominate outcomes.

## Limitations

- No control group
- Very high attrition
- Self-reported physical activity
- Uneven country representation
- No formal power calculation
- Unclear session attendance
- Some questionnaire validation limitations

## Safety And Adherence

- The authors reported no adverse events during the experimental test and intervention.
- The program excluded participants with diabetes, unsafe cardiac conditions, severe COVID-19 history, or unwillingness to wear a smartwatch.
- Attrition was high: 106 of 167 assigned participants dropped out; detailed reasons were not fully extractable from the NXML text reviewed.

## Original Sources

- [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39871301/) (pubmed)
- [DOI](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-025-03576-8) (doi)
- [PMC full text](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11771111/) (full text)

## Agent Guidance

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