PMID 40259013

Research
All papers

The effects and post-exercise energy metabolism characteristics of different high-intensity interval training in obese adults

BaiQuan Y, Meng C, Congqing Z, XiaoDong W

Question

Do whole-body HIIT and jump-rope HIIT differ in effects on body composition, muscular fitness, and post-exercise energy metabolism in young adults with obesity?

Summary

In young adults with obesity, 8 weeks of supervised whole-body HIIT or jump-rope HIIT improved body weight and fat measures compared with a non-training control. Whole-body HIIT produced higher immediate post-exercise oxygen consumption and better strength gains than jump rope, but the study was small and diet was only self-monitored.

Methodology

  • Young adults with BMI >24 kg/m2 and no regular exercise in the past 6 months.
  • 29 participants.
  • Bodyweight calisthenics or jump rope.
  • Work intervals: 30 s.
  • Recovery: 30 s; 1 min between sets.
  • Intensity: All-out or cadence-prescribed, with HR monitoring.
  • About 25 min including warm-up/cool-down.
  • 3 sessions/week.
  • 8 weeks.
  • Three-arm stratified randomized controlled training trial
  • Body composition, Muscular fitness, EPOC, and Substrate oxidation were tracked.

Outcomes

Body mass

WB-HIIT reduced body mass by 1.9 kg and JR-HIIT by 2.8 kg, while control was stable.

Between-group time and interaction p<0.001 for body mass.

Improved

Fat mass

Fat mass and percent body fat decreased in both HIIT groups versus control.

Fat mass interaction p=0.001; percent body fat interaction p=0.032.

Improved

Muscle mass

WB-HIIT increased muscle mass, while JR-HIIT showed a small reported decrease.

Muscle mass time p=0.028; interaction p<0.001.

Mixed

EPOC

WB-HIIT produced higher total EPOC and EPOC per body mass than JR-HIIT.

Total EPOC 6.61 +/- 2.12 L vs 4.73 +/- 0.92 L, p<0.05.

Improved

Safety

No adverse events were reported during the intervention.

No clear change

Insights

  • Bodyweight HIIT is especially relevant when the desired outcome includes strength as well as fat loss.
  • Jump-rope HIIT is equipment-light but may need enjoyment and impact-management supports.
  • A 30/30 format can be implemented in short sessions with clear progression.

Limitations

  • Small sample with 29 completers
  • Diet was not strictly controlled
  • Calorie consumption was not equalized between HIIT modes
  • BIA was used rather than DXA
  • Short intervention

Safety

  • No adverse events were reported during the 8-week intervention.