Low-volume high-intensity interval exercise training may improve aspects of health and fitness in young people, but interventions must be practical and engaging. The investigators examined the effect of a novel school-based low-volume high-intensity interval training programme on health, fitness and physical activity outcomes in adolescent school pupils. 101 English adolescents aged 13-14 years took part in the study. Participants were healthy male and female volunteers, recruited from four schools in Northeast England. Using a non-randomised design, two schools took part in the intervention, and two were assigned to the control. Those in the intervention group completed a 10-week school-based high-intensity interval exercise training programme. The intervention took place three times per week, and comprised of 4-7 repetitions of 45 s maximal effort exercise (boxing, dance, soccer and basketball drills), each interspersed with 90-s rest. Participants were encouraged to work maximally during the 45-s repetitions. Control participants were instructed not to change their lifestyle, dietary or physical activity habits during the intervention period, and maintain their normal school physical education routine. Study outcomes were blood lipid and glucose levels, body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, carotid intima-media thickness, physical activity levels, serum C-reactive protein levels and blood pressure.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
101
Please see information already included in the 'intervention' arm description.
Change from baseline (0 weeks) waist circumference at the post-intervention time point (10 weeks)
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Change from baseline (0 weeks) blood lipids at the post-intervention time point (10 weeks) (assessed via finger prick blood sampling)
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Change from baseline (0 weeks) blood glucose at the post-intervention time point (10 weeks) (assessed via finger prick blood sampling)
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Change from baseline (0 weeks) blood pressure at the post-intervention time point (10 weeks)
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Change from baseline (0 weeks) carotid artery intima-media thickness at the post-intervention time point (10 weeks)
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Change from baseline (0 weeks) body mass index at the post-intervention time point (10 weeks)
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Change from baseline (0 weeks) serum C-reactive protein at the post-intervention time point (10 weeks)
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Change from baseline (0 weeks) 20m shuttle run test performance (indirect measure of cardiorespiratory fitness) at the post-intervention time point (10 weeks)
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Change from baseline (0 weeks) daily physical activity levels (assessed via accelerometry) at the post-intervention time point (10 weeks)
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Change from baseline (0 weeks) body weight at the post-intervention time point (10 weeks)
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Change from baseline (0 weeks) percentage body fat at the post-intervention time point (10 weeks)
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Change from baseline (0 weeks) skeletal muscle mass at the post-intervention time point (10 weeks)
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