# Effects of high intensity intermittent training on lipid profile and blood glucose overweight/obese university students

PMID: 40115353
Journal: Revista Cuidarte
Published: 2022 Sep-Dec
Authors: Montealegre Suárez DP, Ramos González EP, Romaña Cabrera LF

## Question

What are the effects of high-intensity intermittent training on lipid profile and blood glucose in overweight or obese university students?

## Summary

In overweight or obese university students, 20 sessions of circuit-style high-intensity intermittent training lowered fasting glucose and produced favorable but mostly non-significant lipid changes. The protocol used 50-minute sessions, three times per week, with bodyweight and gym-circuit movements rather than machine cycling or running intervals.

## Population

- Overweight or obese university gym students
- Sample size: 30
- Age: 18-24 years
- Fitness level: University gym members; exact fitness level not reported
- Health status: BMI greater than 25 kg/m2

## Methodology

- Quasi-experimental randomized group intervention
- 20 sessions over about 7 weeks
- University gym in Neiva, Colombia
- Randomized and controlled study design.

## Protocol

- High-intensity intermittent circuits.
- Modality: Mixed gym/bodyweight circuits.
- Work intervals: Two 15-min circuits; individual exercise timing not reported.
- Recovery: 2 min between circuits.
- Sets or repetitions: 5-6 exercises per circuit, as many repetitions as possible.
- Intensity: 70-90%.
- Session duration: 50 min.
- Frequency: 3 sessions/week.
- Program length: 20 sessions.
- Continuous treadmill training.
- Modality: Treadmill.
- Work intervals: Continuous 30-min core phase with three faster 1-min bouts embedded after 2-min speed increases.
- Sets or repetitions: Three intensity increases during core phase.
- Intensity: Speeds 6.5 warm-up, 8.5 for 2 min, 13 for 1 min, cool-down speed 5.
- Session duration: 50 min.
- Frequency: 3 sessions/week.
- Program length: 20 sessions.

## Outcomes

### Glucose
Status: improved
Glucose decreased significantly in the experimental HIIT group.

Experimental pre 101.37 to post 97.40 +/- 5.30, p=0.00 in table; abstract reports p=0.001.

### HDL
Status: improved
HDL rose in the experimental group and was reported significant.

Experimental 42.30 +/- 9.29 to 44.20 +/- 9.11, p=0.00.

### LDL
Status: no clear change
LDL decreased in the experimental group but did not reach statistical significance.

92.50 +/- 20.81 to 87.00 +/- 21.37, p=0.08.

### Triglycerides
Status: no clear change
Triglycerides decreased slightly in the experimental group but were not significant.

105.50 +/- 47.60 to 100.30 +/- 45.26, p=0.72.

## Practical Insights

- Circuit HIIT may be a practical gym format for young overweight users, but movement choice needs scaling.
- Glucose claims are better supported than broad lipid-profile claims.

## Limitations

- Diet not controlled
- Genetic aspects and additional exercise routines not controlled
- Small sample size
- Intensity measurement and exercise timing are incompletely specified

## Safety And Adherence

- No adverse events were reported in the extracted article text.
- Two participants were excluded for incomplete intervention sessions.

## Original Sources

- [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40115353/) (pubmed)
- [DOI](https://doi.org/10.15649/cuidarte.2624) (doi)
- [PMC full text](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11559306/) (full text)

## Agent Guidance

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