Optimal Frequency of High-Intensity Interval Training for Centrally Obese Adults

NCT04887454 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 1v3HIIT
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 315
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

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.

Conditions

Obesity

Keywords

Obesity; Central Obesity; High-Intensity Interval Training; Aerobic Exercise; Adults; Metabolic Syndrome

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Body Fat

  Total body fat mass will be assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)

  Baseline and 4 months

Secondary Outcomes (21)

• Change in Body Fat

  Baseline and 8 months

• Change in Abdominal Visceral Fat

  Baseline and 4 and 8 months

• Change in Abdominal Subcutaneous Fat

  Baseline and 4 and 8 months

• Change in Body Mass Index

  Baseline and 4 and 8 months

• Change in Waist Circumference

  Baseline and 4 and 8 months

Study Arms (3)

Once-Weekly HIIT

EXPERIMENTAL

Once-weekly HIIT for 16 weeks, led by certified athletic coaches

Behavioral: Once-Weekly HIIT

Thrice-Weekly HIIT

EXPERIMENTAL

Thrice-weekly HIIT for 16 weeks, led by certified athletic coaches

Behavioral: Thrice-Weekly HIIT

Usual Care

OTHER

Bi-weekly health education, led by research personnel

Other: Usual Care

Interventions

Once-Weekly HIIT BEHAVIORAL

Participants in this group will receive a 16-week intervention of HIIT once weekly supervised by certified athletic coaches. Participants will perform four 4-minute intervals at 85%-95% peak heart rate with a 3-minute active recovery between each 4-minute interval. Participants will repeat the 25-minute HIIT bout three times with 30-60 minutes break in between each 25-minute HIIT bout. Health information provided to the usual care control group will be made available to the participants in the HIIT groups.

Once-Weekly HIIT

Thrice-Weekly HIIT BEHAVIORAL

Participants in this group will receive a 16-week intervention of HIIT thrice weekly supervised by certified athletic coaches. Participants will perform four 4-minute intervals at 85%-95% peak heart rate with a 3-minute active recovery between each 4-minute interval. Health information provided to the usual care control group will be made available to the participants in the HIIT groups.

Thrice-Weekly HIIT

Usual Care OTHER

Participants in the usual care control group will receive health education delivered by research personnel. This program will consist of eight two-hour bi-weekly sessions covering major health issues relating to obesity including causes, prevalence, epidemiology, associated diseases, healthy diet, caloric restriction advice, physical activity, stress management, adequate sleep, as well as lifestyle counseling/consultation and goal-setting/record-keeping strategies for behavioral changes.

Usual Care

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• 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

You may not qualify if:

• 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)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The University of Hong Kong: lead

Study Sites (1)

LKS Faculty of Medicine

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Siu PM, Leung CK, Bernal JDK, Yu AP, Recchia F, Tam BT, Fong DYT, Chan DKC, Ngai HH, Lee CH, Yung PSH, Wong SHS, Gibala M. Once and thrice weekly interval training in adults with central obesity: a randomized controlled trial. Nat Commun. 2026 Jan 10. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-68149-7. Online ahead of print.

  PMID: 41519797 DERIVED

• Leung CK, Bernal JDK, Yu AP, Recchia F, Tam BT, Fong DYT, Chan DKC, Ngai HH, Lee CH, Yung PSH, Wong SHS, Gibala M, Siu PM. Effects of volume-matched once-weekly and thrice-weekly high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on body adiposity in adults with central obesity: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. J Exerc Sci Fit. 2024 Oct;22(4):329-340. doi: 10.1016/j.jesf.2024.05.001. Epub 2024 Jun 14.

  PMID: 38993983 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Obesity; Obesity, Abdominal; Metabolic Syndrome

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Overweight; Overnutrition; Nutrition Disorders; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Body Weight; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Insulin Resistance; Hyperinsulinism; Glucose Metabolism Disorders; Metabolic Diseases

Study Officials

• Parco M. Siu, PhD

  The University of Hong Kong

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor and Division Head

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 10, 2021
• First Posted: May 14, 2021
• Study Start: September 1, 2021
• Primary Completion: September 7, 2024
• Study Completion: September 7, 2024
• Last Updated: March 30, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP
• Time Frame: Beginning 3 months and ending 3 years following the publication of the article.
• Access Criteria: Data will be shared with researchers who provide a methodologically sound proposal for academic purposes. Proposals should be directed to pmsiu@hku.hk to gain access and for data request, a data-access agreement needs to be signed.

Locations

HK (1)