Optimal Frequency of High-Intensity Interval Training for Centrally Obese Adults
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Completed
- Sponsor
- The University of Hong Kong
- Enrollment
- 315
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Change in Body Fat
Study Overview
Brief Summary
The aim of this study is to examine the therapeutic effectiveness of two different exercise frequencies of high-intensity interval training (HIIT; once versus thrice weekly, with matched weekly exercise volume) on improving cardiometabolic risk factors in centrally obese adults.
Detailed Description
HIIT is an emerging, popular, promising, cost-effective, and time-efficient exercise modality for managing obesity. Although lower-frequency HIIT is favorable for intervention adherence, the optimal exercise frequency of HIIT for alleviating obesity is unknown.
This study is a three-arm randomized controlled trial. Centrally obese adults will be randomly allocated to three groups: the usual care control, once and thrice-weekly HIIT groups. Led by research personnel, the usual care group will receive obesity-related health education. Led by athletic coaches, the HIIT intervention groups will receive 16 weeks of once or thrice weekly HIIT (with matched weekly exercise volume). Outcome measures of this study will be examined at baseline, 4 months (post-intervention), and 8 months (follow-up), by assessors blinded to group allocation.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel
- Primary Purpose
- Treatment
- Masking
- Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to — (Adult, Older Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria
- •Aged above 18 years
- •Ethnic Chinese
- •Overweight (BMI ≥23 for Asian)
- •Centrally obese according to IDF and NCEP with Asian-specific cut-off (waist circumference ≥90 cm for males; ≥80 cm for females)
- •Males and females
Exclusion Criteria
- •Medical and somatic conditions that prevent brisk walking
- •Chronic diseases affecting mobility and motor function (e.g., neurological disease, musculoskeletal disorder, spinal cord injury, autoimmune, arthritis, Parkinson's Disease)
- •Chronic diseases affecting cardiorespiratory and metabolic health (e.g., cancers, cardio-/cerebrovascular diseases, heart disease, diabetes mellitus, pneumonia, chronic pulmonary diseases, nephritis, nephrosis)
- •Signs of cardiac arrhythmia indicated by aberrant electrocardiography during incremental VO2max test
- •Regular moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise (≥150 min weekly) in the past 3 months, as screened by a specially designed questionnaire
- •Daily smoking habit
- •Excess alcohol consumption (daily ≥30g for men, ≥20g for women) in the past six months
- •Claustrophobia
- •Surgery, therapy or medication for obesity or weight loss in the past six months (e.g., gastric bypass, gastric band, sleeve gastrectomy, gastric reduction duodenal switch, and dietitian-prescribed dietary program)
Arms & Interventions
Once-Weekly HIIT
Once-weekly HIIT for 16 weeks, led by certified athletic coaches
Intervention: Once-Weekly HIIT (Behavioral)
Thrice-Weekly HIIT
Thrice-weekly HIIT for 16 weeks, led by certified athletic coaches
Intervention: Thrice-Weekly HIIT (Behavioral)
Usual Care
Bi-weekly health education, led by research personnel
Intervention: Usual Care (Other)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Change in Body Fat
Time Frame: Baseline and 4 months
Total body fat mass will be assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)
Secondary Outcomes
- Change in Body Mass Index(Baseline and 4 and 8 months)
- Change in Diastolic Blood Pressure(Baseline and 4 and 8 months)
- Change in Fasting Glucose(Baseline and 4 and 8 months)
- Change in Fasting High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C)(Baseline and 4 and 8 months)
- Change in Body Fat(Baseline and 8 months)
- Change in Abdominal Visceral Fat(Baseline and 4 and 8 months)
- Change in Fasting Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-C)(Baseline and 4 and 8 months)
- Change in Fasting Total Cholesterol(Baseline and 4 and 8 months)
- Change in Proportion of Metabolic Syndrome Diagnosis(Baseline and 4 and 8 months)
- Number of Adverse Events(Baseline and 4 and 8 months)
- Change in Abdominal Subcutaneous Fat(Baseline and 4 and 8 months)
- Change in Systolic Blood Pressure(Baseline and 4 and 8 months)
- Change in PHQ-9 Score(Baseline and 4 and 8 months)
- Change in HADS-A Score(Baseline and 4 and 8 months)
- Change in Organ Fat(Baseline and 4 and 8 months)
- Change in Waist Circumference(Baseline and 4 and 8 months)
- Change in SF-12 Physical Component Summary Score(Baseline and 4 and 8 months)
- Change in SF-12 Mental Component Summary Score(Baseline and 4 and 8 months)
- Change in HADS-D Score(Baseline and 4 and 8 months)
- Change in GAD-7 Score(Baseline and 4 and 8 months)
- Change in Fasting Triglycerides(Baseline and 4 and 8 months)
Investigators
Parco M. Siu, PhD
Associate Professor and Division Head
The University of Hong Kong