The effect of Tabata-style functional high-intensity interval training on cardiometabolic health and physical activity in female university students.

The increasing prevalence of metabolic syndrome and physical inactivity enhances exposure to cardiometabolic risk factors in university students. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) improved cardiometabolic health in clinical adults but the evidence in the university setting is limited. Furthermore, few studies examined the effect of low-volume HIIT on habitual physical activity (PA). Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of 12-week Tabata-style functional HIIT for improving multiple cardiometabolic health outcomes and habitual PA. We also investigated whether changes in habitual PA over the intervention period had an impact on exercise-induced health outcomes. 122 female freshmen were randomized into the Tabata group (n = 60) and the control (n = 62). The Tabata training protocol involved 8 × 20 s maximal repeated functional exercises followed by 10 s rest with a frequency of 3 times per week for 12 weeks. Body composition, maximal oxygen uptake (VO), blood pressure (BP), blood lipids, fasting glucose and insulin, C-reactive protein and PA were objectively measured using standardized methods. Dietary intake was measured using a valid food frequency questionnaire. All variables were measured pre- and post-intervention. Mixed linear modelling results showed that there were large intervention effects on VO ( < 0.001, d = 2.53, 95% CI: 2.03 to 3.00 for relative VO; < 0.001, d = 2.24, 95% CI: 1.76 to 2.68 for absolute VO), resting heart rate ( < 0.001, d = -1.82, 95% CI: -2.23 to -1.37), systolic BP ( < 0.001, d = -1.24, 95% CI: -1.63 to -0.84), moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) ( < 0.001, d = 2.31, 95% CI: 1.83 to 2.77), total PA ( < 0.001, d = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.53 to 2.41); moderate effects on %BF ( < 0.001, d = -1.15, 95% CI: -1.53 to -0.75), FM ( < 0.001, d = -1.08, 95% CI: -1.46 to -0.69), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) ( < 0.001, d = 1.04, 95% CI: 0.65 to 1.42), total cholesterol ( = 0.001, d = -0.64, 95% CI: -1.00 to -0.26); small effects on BMI ( = 0.011, d = -0.48, 95% CI: -0.84 to 0.11), WC ( = 0.043, d = -0.37, 95% CI: -0.74 to -0.01), low-density lipoprotein ( = 0.003, d = -0.57, 95% CI: -0.93 to -0.19), HOMA-IR ( = 0.026, d = -0.42, 95% CI: -0.78 to -0.05) and fasting insulin ( = 0.035, d = -0.40, 95% CI: -0.76 to -0.03). Regression analysis showed that only the percentage change of HDL was associated with the change of MVPA (b = 0.326, = 0.015) and TPA (b = 0.480, = 0.001). From the findings of the study we can conclude that 12-week low-volume Tabata-style functional HIIT was highly effective for university female students to improve cardiorespiratory fitness, body fat, some cardiometabolic health outcomes and habitual PA.