Abstract
The purpose of the study was to compare the effects of aerobic high intensity interval training (A-HIIT) and resistance-high intensity interval training (R-HIIT) to that of a control group (CON) on physical characteristics, cardiometabolic health, and self-reported well-being. A total of 48 overweight/obese women met the criteria for possessing one or more metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk factors and were randomly assigned to one of three groups. Following eight weeks of training, a total of 31 women completed the intervention and were included in the statistical analysis: A-HIIT (n=10), R-HIIT (n=10), and CON (n=11). Both experimental groups trained three times a week for 25 minutes throughout the eight-week protocol. Both A-HIIT and R-HIIT groups improved aerobic fitness compared to CON (p=0.029 for both groups). Only R-HIIT group showed increases in upper body power over CON (p=0.002). R-HIIT group also showed statistically significant reductions in fasting insulin levels (p=0.036) and insulin resistance (p=0.046) compared to CON. Furthermore, β-cell function scores were lower in R-HIIT compared to CON (p=0.017) and A-HIIT (p=0.002) groups. R-HIIT also had significantly higher scores on the physical function domain of Patient Reported Outcome Measurement System (PROMIS®)-57 well-being questionnaire compared to the CON group (p=0.035). Our study showed that R-HIIT can be considered as part of an optimal worksite-wellness strategy for improving physical characteristics, cardiometabolic health, and well-being in women at risk for or possessing MetS seeking an expeditious form of training.