Effects of Whole-Body High-Intensity Interval Training on Fitness in Overweight Adults
WB-HIIT
Effects of a Whole-body High-intensity Interval Training on Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Musculoskeletal Fitness, Body Composition and Blood Parameters in Overweight Subjects
2 other identifiers
interventional
40
1 country
1
Brief Summary
This study aims to evaluate the effects of a supervised whole-body high-intensity interval training (WB-HIIT) program on physical fitness and health outcomes in adults with overweight and obesity. WB-HIIT is a practical and time-efficient training modality based on body-weight exercises performed at high intensity with short recovery intervals. It may offer an accessible approach for improving health in individuals with excess body weight. Participants aged 18 to 55 years with a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 35 kg/m² will take part in a supervised 10-week WB-HIIT program, performed in small groups and led by trained exercise professionals. Before and after the intervention, participants will undergo assessments including DXA-based body composition analysis, fasting blood sampling, muscular strength testing, a Chester step test, a maximal graded treadmill exercise test with gas-exchange analysis to determine VO₂peak, and functional evaluations (chair-stand, arm-curl, and 6-minute walk test). Physical activity and dietary intake will also be recorded. The primary objective of the study is to assess whether WB-HIIT improves cardiorespiratory fitness (VO₂peak) in adults with overweight. Secondary objectives include evaluating changes in muscular strength, body composition, metabolic markers, and functional capacity. The results may help determine whether an equipment-free WB-HIIT program can serve as an effective and accessible training approach for improving health and physical fitness in adults with overweight and obesity.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P25-P50 for not_applicable
Started Nov 2022
Longer than P75 for not_applicable
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
Study Start
First participant enrolled
November 9, 2022
CompletedFirst Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
February 19, 2026
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
May 13, 2026
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
June 1, 2026
ExpectedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
June 1, 2026
May 13, 2026
May 1, 2026
3.6 years
February 19, 2026
May 11, 2026
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (2)
Peak oxygen consumption (VO₂peak)
Peak oxygen consumption (VO₂peak) will be measured during a maximal graded treadmill exercise test with gas analysis to assess changes in cardiorespiratory fitness following the 10-week WB-HIIT program. VO₂peak will be expressed in mL·kg-¹·min-¹.
The outcome will be assessed once at baseline and within 72 hours after the last session of the whole-body high-intensity interval training intervention.
Muscular strength
Maximal dynamic strength will be assessed using 3-repetition maximum (3-RM) tests on the leg press and bench press.
The outcome will be assessed once at baseline and within 72 hours after the last session of the whole-body high-intensity interval training intervention.
Secondary Outcomes (13)
Estimated VO₂max from the Chester Step Test
The outcome will be assessed once at baseline and within 72 hours after the last session of the whole-body high-intensity interval training intervention.
Body composition
The outcome will be assessed once at baseline and within 72 hours after the last session of the whole-body high-intensity interval training intervention.
Muscular endurance (fatigue tests at 60% 1-RM)
The outcome will be assessed once at baseline and within 72 hours after the last session of the whole-body high-intensity interval training intervention.
Functional performance (chair-stand test)
The outcome will be assessed once at baseline and within 72 hours after the last session of the whole-body high-intensity interval training intervention.
Upper-body functional performance (arm-curl test)
The outcome will be assessed once at baseline and within 72 hours after the last session of the whole-body high-intensity interval training intervention.
- +8 more secondary outcomes
Study Arms (2)
WB-HIIT Intervention
EXPERIMENTALA supervised whole-body high-intensity interval training (WB-HIIT) program performed in small groups. Participants complete 2 to 3 sessions per week for 10 weeks. Each session includes a warm-up followed by 8 to 12 whole-body exercises performed at high intensity for 20-60 seconds with recovery periods of 20-60 seconds. Progression is applied by adjusting exercise complexity, number of sets, and work-to-rest ratio. Heart rate and perceived exertion (Borg CR-10 scale) are monitored.
Control Group
NO INTERVENTIONParticipants in the control group do not receive structured exercise training. They maintain their usual lifestyle and complete the same pre- and post-intervention assessments as the intervention group.
Interventions
A structured WB-HIIT program using body-weight exercises such as squats, lunges, mountain climbers, and similar multi-joint movements. Sessions last 35-50 minutes and include 3 to 4 sets of interval blocks performed at high intensity. The training is supervised by qualified exercise professionals.
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Adults aged 18 to 55 years.
- Body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 35 kg/m².
- Able to provide written informed consent.
- Able to safely participate in high-intensity interval training.
- For participants with BMI \> 30 kg/m²: medical clearance from their general practitioner.
You may not qualify if:
- BMI \< 25 or \> 35 kg/m².
- Presence of any chronic medical condition other than overweight/obesity.
- Known cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory, or musculoskeletal disease that contraindicates high-intensity exercise.
- Pregnancy.
- Inability to perform exercise testing or complete the WB-HIIT program.
- Any condition judged by investigators to interfere with participation or data interpretation.
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Study Sites (1)
Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
Brussels, Belgium
Related Publications (2)
Scoubeau C, Bonnechere B, Cnop M, Faoro V, Klass M. Effectiveness of Whole-Body High-Intensity Interval Training on Health-Related Fitness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Aug 3;19(15):9559. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19159559.
PMID: 35954911BACKGROUNDScoubeau C, Carpentier J, Baudry S, Faoro V, Klass M. Body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, and neuromuscular adaptations induced by a home-based whole-body high intensity interval training. J Exerc Sci Fit. 2023 Apr;21(2):226-236. doi: 10.1016/j.jesf.2023.02.004. Epub 2023 Mar 10.
PMID: 36970125BACKGROUND
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- STUDY DIRECTOR
Malgorzata Klass, PhD; Prof.
Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Research Unit in Cardio-respiratory Physiology, Exercise & Nutrition
Central Study Contacts
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- NON RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- NONE
- Purpose
- BASIC SCIENCE
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
- PI Title
- Professor
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
February 19, 2026
First Posted
May 13, 2026
Study Start
November 9, 2022
Primary Completion (Estimated)
June 1, 2026
Study Completion (Estimated)
June 1, 2026
Last Updated
May 13, 2026
Record last verified: 2026-05
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will not share
Individual participant data will not be shared due to confidentiality requirements and restrictions imposed by the ethics committee.