Perspectives on high-intensity interval exercise for health promotion in children and adolescents

Abstract

Physical activity lowers future cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk; however, few children and adolescents achieve the recommended minimum amount of daily activity. Accordingly, there is virtue in identifying the efficacy of small volumes of high-intensity exercise for health benefits in children and adolescents for the primary prevention of CVD risk. The purpose of this narrative review is to provide a novel overview of the available literature concerning high-intensity interval-exercise (HIIE) interventions in children and adolescents. Specifically, the following areas are addressed: 1) outlining the health benefits observed following a single bout of HIIE, 2) reviewing the role of HIIE training in the management of pediatric obesity, and 3) discussing the effectiveness of school-based HIIE training. In total, 39 HIIE intervention studies were included in this review. Based upon the available data, a single bout of high-intensity exercise provides a potent stimulus for favorable, acute changes across a range of cardiometabolic outcomes that are often superior to a comparative bout of moderate-intensity exercise (14 studies reviewed). HIIE also promotes improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiometabolic health status in overweight and obese children and adolescents (10 studies reviewed) and when delivered in the school setting (15 studies reviewed). We thus conclude that high-intensity exercise is a feasible and potent method of improving a range of cardiometabolic outcomes in children and adolescents. However, further work is needed to optimize the delivery of HIIE interventions in terms of participant enjoyment and acceptability, to include a wider range of health outcomes, and to control for important confounding variables (eg, changes in diet and habitual physical activity). Finally, research into the application of HIIE training interventions to children and adolescents of different ages, sexes, pubertal status, and sociocultural backgrounds is required.

Sprint Interval Training and the School Curriculum: Benefits Upon Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Physical Activity Profiles, and Cardiometabolic Risk Profiles of Healthy Adolescents

“…Despite contrasting SIT and high intensity interval training (HIIT) study designs, a consistent finding between all investigations is an improvement in CRF levels (8,10,33,34,52). A recent review demonstrated that HIIT has the potential to improve CRF by 2.2 to 23% in healthy, overweight and obese children and adolescents (5). Supporting this, findings from a meta-analysis reported large improvements in CRF (unstandardized mean difference 2.6 ml.kg -1 •min -1 ; 95% confidence interval 1.8 to 3.3 ml.kg -1 •min -1 ; Cohen's d effect size 1.05) (19).…”

“…Emerging evidence demonstrates the potential of HIIT to improve CMR outcomes in children and adolescents (5,30,33,40,48,52). A recent review on the effect of HIIT on CMR outcomes (5) concluded that school-based HIIT induces similar or superior benefits compared to continuous aerobic exercise across a range of outcomes including body composition, insulin and glucose homeostasis, blood lipids and blood pressure in healthy, overweight and obese children and adolescents. Supporting this, a further review concluded that school-based HIIT was effective in improving CMR in overweight and obese adolescents (33).…”

How I approach managing student athletes at risk for bleeding

“…The benefits of exercise are broad and include both physical and psychosocial components. The physical benefits encompass improved cardiovascular and muscular fitness, bone health, cognitive function, sleep, and energy . In addition, exercise prevents obesity, diabetes, and liver disease .…”

“…The physical benefits encompass improved cardiovascular and muscular fitness, bone health, cognitive function, sleep, and energy. [1][2][3][4] In addition, exercise prevents obesity, diabetes, and liver disease. 5,6 Sports participation also improves confidence, self-esteem, and sense of normalcy in children when they participate in activities with their peers.…”

A szívbetegek rehabilitációjának sportos arca

“…A gyermekpopulációban is helye lehet a HIIT-edzésnek. Bond és mtsai 39 tanulmányt tekintettek át a cardiometabolicus mutatók javítására szánt közleményekből [39]. (A legtöbb labdajáték, a fogócska interval jellegű terhelést kíván, kellő szervezéssel és motivációval HIIT.)…”