PMID 41971378

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Association between apolipoprotein E gene polymorphisms and the effects of high-intensity interval training on body composition in university students

Chu HN, Chu WW, Xu SR, Liu Y, Liu SC, Yao T, Zhou DQ

Question

Are APOE polymorphisms associated with baseline body composition and the sensitivity of body composition outcomes to 12 weeks of HIIT in university students?

Summary

This 12-week HIIT genetic association study in 236 non-athletic Han Chinese university students found that APOE rs405509 genotype was associated with body-composition response to HIIT. GG carriers, especially women, showed greater reductions in body fat, weight, or BMI than GT/TT carriers. The study lacked a non-exercise control group, had small genotype subgroups, and did not strictly control diet, so the findings are hypothesis-generating rather than actionable app personalization evidence.

Methodology

  • 236 non-physical-education Han Chinese university students from four universities who completed a 12-week HIIT program.
  • 236 participants.
  • Running and brisk walking.
  • Work intervals: Weeks 1-4 progressed from 15-sec to 120-sec runs; weeks 5-12 used 240-sec runs.
  • Recovery: Brisk walking recoveries; weeks 5-12 used 180 sec.
  • Intensity: Running 90-95% HRmax; walking 70% HRmax.
  • 28-min training cycle plus 10-min warm-up.
  • 3 sessions/week.
  • 12 weeks.
  • Prospective single-arm HIIT intervention with genetic association analysis
  • Body composition response by genotype, and APOE polymorphisms were tracked.

Outcomes

APOE SNP screening

Of 22 APOE SNPs identified, five passed quality control and rs405509 was the primary significant locus associated with body composition and HIIT sensitivity.

QC criteria included MAF>0.05, SNP detection >90%, sample detection >90%, and Hardy-Weinberg p>0.05

Mixed

Baseline body composition by rs405509

rs405509 was associated with baseline body weight percentage and BMI overall, and with body weight, BMI, and WHR in women.

GG carriers had higher baseline body weight percentage and BMI than GT/TT overall; no significant male baseline associations were reported

Mixed

HIIT body-composition response by rs405509

GG genotype showed greater overall body fat reduction than GT/TT; female GG carriers showed greater decreases in weight and BMI.

Overall GG greater body fat reduction than GT/TT, p<0.05; female GG decreases in weight and BMI p<0.05; female body fat marginal p=0.053; adjusted regression association with body fat sensitivity p=0.01873

Improved

Bonferroni post hoc comparisons

GG differed from TT and GT for several body composition changes; GT and TT generally did not differ.

GG vs TT: body weight MD=-1.95, p=0.003; weight percentage MD=-3.44, p=0.006; BMI MD=-0.70, p=0.009; skeletal muscle percentage p=0.107; GT vs TT not significant

Mixed

Insights

  • APOE rs405509 findings are not ready for user-facing exercise personalization.
  • The HIIT protocol is a progressive, supervised run-walk format that can be adapted without genetic claims.
  • Dietary and control-group limitations mean genotype-response effects need replication.

Limitations

  • No sedentary/non-exercise control group.
  • Dietary intake was not strictly controlled.
  • Multi-center settings may introduce climate and dietary variability.
  • HRmax was estimated as 220-age.
  • Small genotype subgroups, especially GG.
  • University-student Han Chinese sample limits generalizability.

Safety

  • Participants underwent physical risk screening and professional supervision with HR monitoring. No adverse event data were reported in the the paper.