# The effect of high-intensity interval training on inhibitory function in overweight female college students: the mediating role of body composition

PMID: 40108722
Journal: BMC Psychology
Published: 2025-03-19
Authors: Zuo Z, Zhang Z, Li Y, Zhang J, Shi P

## Question

Does 8 weeks of HIIT improve inhibitory function in overweight female college students, and is the effect mediated by body composition?

## Summary

This article combined a cross-sectional study and an 8-week randomized HIIT trial in overweight and normal-weight female college students. The trial reported faster inhibitory-control reaction times and better body-composition measures after supervised Tabata-style HIIT, with fat content proposed as a mediator, but the NXML contains inconsistent sample-size reporting across methods and results tables.

## Population

- Female college students, with the intervention focused on overweight participants.
- Sample size: 64
- Sex: Female
- Fitness level: Non-PE majors not doing additional exercise beyond PE electives
- Health status: Overweight or normal-weight depending study component; screened for injury, mental health, vision, smoking/drinking, dieting, sleep, and emotional criteria.

## Methodology

- Two-part study: cross-sectional cognitive/body-composition comparison and randomized controlled HIIT intervention.
- 8 weeks after a 1-week adaptation period
- University setting with supervised exercise and laboratory cognitive testing.
- Randomized and controlled study design.

## Protocol

- Bodyweight Tabata HIIT.
- Modality: Jumping jacks, kickbacks, knee drops, underarm claps, mountain climbers, squat jumps, high knees, and sidekicks.
- Work intervals: 20 seconds.
- Recovery: 10 seconds rest; 4 minutes active rest between sets.
- Sets or repetitions: 3 sets of 8 exercises.
- Intensity: 85-95% HRmax, monitored by Polar watch.
- Session duration: 30 minutes.
- Frequency: 3 sessions per week.
- Program length: 8 weeks after a 1-week adaptation period.
- Progression: Adaptation week for movement learning and safety; later progression not detailed.
- No-exercise control.
- Modality: No exercise intervention.
- Program length: 8 weeks.

## Outcomes

### Reaction time
Status: improved
HIIT shortened GO and Flanker reaction times compared with control.

GO RT, consistent RT, and inconsistent RT differences reported p<0.05.

### Body composition
Status: improved
HIIT group showed lower BMI and fat content and higher fat-free weight, muscle content, and basal metabolic rate at post-test.

BMI p=0.020; fat content p=0.013; fat-free weight p=0.011; muscle content p=0.023; BMR p=0.022.

### Fat percentage
Status: no clear change
Body-fat percentage and waist-hip ratio did not differ significantly in the post-test body-composition table.

Body-fat percentage/WHR not significant; WHR p=0.078.

### Mediation
Status: mixed
Fat content was proposed as a mediator for consistent-condition reaction time, but model reporting was unusual.

Fat to consistent RT beta=4.096, p=0.012; HIIT to consistent RT direct path p=0.084; CFI reported as 0.416.

## Practical Insights

- A 30-minute bodyweight Tabata format can be adapted directly for young-adult users when supervised or well screened.
- Use caution when making cognition claims; the outcomes were laboratory reaction-time tasks.
- Include a familiarization/adaptation week before high-intensity work.

## Limitations

- Female college sample only.
- Behavioral cognition measures only, without electrophysiology or imaging.
- Fixed task order may have practice effects.
- No dose-response evaluation.
- Sample-size reporting was inconsistent across methods and results tables.

## Safety And Adherence

- No adverse events were reported.
- Professional supervision and an adaptation week were used to reduce injury/emergency risk.
- Heart rate was monitored with a Polar watch.

## Original Sources

- [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40108722/) (pubmed)
- [DOI](https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02479-5) (doi)
- [PMC full text](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11921596/) (full text)

## Agent Guidance

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