Effect of supervised sprint interval training on cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition in adolescent boys with obesity

ABSTRACT

This study examined the effect of a supervised 12-week sprint interval training (SIT) on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and body composition in adolescent boys with obesity. Twenty-eight adolescents with obesity were allocated to either an intervention group (SIT) (13.1 ± 0.3 yrs; body mass index [BMI]: 30.3 ± 0.9 kg.m⁻²) or a control group (CONT) (13.7 ± 0.4 yrs; BMI: 32.6 ± 1.6 kg.m⁻²). The SIT group performed 4–6 × 30s “all-out” cycling bouts, interspersed with 4 min of recovery 3 days a week for 12 weeks. CRF was measured by direct peak oxygen consumption (VO₂peak) defined as VO₂peak per kg of body mass (mL.min⁻¹kg⁻¹) or by VO₂peak per kg of lean body mass (mL.min⁻¹LBM⁻¹) and body composition was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. SIT intervention led to a significant and large between-group difference in VO₂peak (p = 0.004; η² = 0.29). Although SIT group had a significant reduction in body fat percentage (BF%) (from 41.1 ± 1.3% to 39.2 ± 1.5%; p = 0.006), there were no between-group differences in the change of the pre- and post-measures in BF% (p = 0.067). In conclusion, 12-week SIT is effective in increasing CRF and decreasing BF% in adolescent boys with obesity.

KEYWORDS:

• Paediatric obesity
• sprint interval training
• peak oxygen consumption
• body fat percent

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all participants of the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2022.2125199

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Estonian Research Council grant [PRG 1428].