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High-intensity, moderate-intensity interventions comparable for body composition improvements
High-intensity interval training and moderate-intensity continuous training resulted in similar effects on body composition in adults with overweight or obesity, according to study findings published in Obesity Reviews.
Michael Wewege, of the department of exercise physiology, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales in Sydney, and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on 13 studies comparing high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) in adults aged 18 to 45 years with overweight or obesity to determine the effects of each type of exercise on body composition.
The studies included 424 participants with overweight and obesity (50% men); 216 completed an HIIT intervention (50% men; mean age, 32.3 years; mean BMI, 29.8 kg/m2) and 208 completed an MICT intervention (50% men; mean age 31.5 years; mean BMI, 29.5 kg/m2). The mode of exercise was matched for both interventions, which were conducted for 10.4 weeks. Training duration per week was lower in the HIIT-intervention participants compared with the MICT-intervention participants (P = .003).
Both interventions resulted in significant reductions in whole-body fat mass (HIIT mean difference, –1.7 kg; MICT mean difference, –2.1 kg) and waist circumference (mean difference, –3 cm for each intervention). Body mass, lean mass and trunk fat measures were not significantly affected by either intervention. Running had a significant effect on whole-body fat mass in both interventions (–2.6 kg for both) and a small effect on body mass (HIIT standardized mean difference, –0.31; MICT standardized mean difference, –0.3); cycling had no significant effects on whole-body fat mass or body mass.
There were no significant differences between the two interventions for any measure of body composition.
“Both moderate-continuous aerobic exercise and high-intensity interval training can provide small improvements to body composition in the short-term (10 weeks) for individuals who are overweight or obese, approximately 2 kg reduction in body fat and 3 cm reduction in waist circumference,” Wewege told Endocrine Today. “High-intensity interval training offers these benefits in a reduced time (40% less on average), which may make it suitable for time-poor individuals. Longer studies (> 10 weeks) are required to examine whether any difference between the training scheme would appear at a later date. The small number of studies on direct measures of visceral adiposity also present an area for more research comparing high-intensity interval training and moderate-intensity continuous training. Finally, our study identified some preliminary data that suggests running may be more effective than cycling to elicit these improvements, another area for further research.” – by Amber Cox
For more information:
Michael Wewege can be reached at m.wewege@unsw.edu.au.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.