REVIEW  BODY COMPOSITION, NUTRITION AND SUPPLEMENTATION 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2019 February;59(2):310-24

DOI: 10.23736/S0022-4707.18.08075-1

Copyright © 2018 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

High-intensity interval training in overweight and obese children and adolescents: systematic review and meta-analysis

David THIVEL ^{1, 2} ✉, Julie MASURIER ³, Georges BAQUET ⁴, Brian W. TIMMONS ⁵, Bruno PEREIRA ⁶, Serge BERTHOIN ⁴, Martine DUCLOS ^{2, 7, 8, 9}, Julien AUCOUTURIER ⁴

¹ Laboratory of the Metabolic Adaptations to Exercise under Physiological and Pathological Conditions (AME2P), UE3533, Clermont Auvergne University, Clermont-Ferrand, France; ² Auvergne Regional Center for Human Nutrition (CRNH), CSO Caloris, Clermont-Ferrand, France; ³ SSR Nutriton Obésité UGECAM, CSO Caloris, Clermont-Ferrand, France; ⁴ EA7369, Unité de Recherche Pluridisciplinaire Sport, Santé, Société (URePSSS), Equipe «Activité Physique, Muscle, Santé», Université Lille 2, Loos, France; ⁵ Child Health and Exercise Medicine Program, Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; ⁶ Unit of Biostatistics (DRCI), Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand, France; ⁷ INRA, UMR 1019, Clermont-Ferrand, France; ⁸ University Clermont 1, UFR Medicine, Clermont-Ferrand, France; ⁹ Department of Sport Medicine and Functional Explorations, Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital, G. Montpied Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand, France

INTRODUCTION: While High Intensity Interval Training is praised in many populations for its beneficial effects on body composition and cardiometabolic health, its use among obese youth remain uncertain. This study aimed at determining whether HIIT is effective to improve aerobic fitness and reduce cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight and obese youth.
EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A systematic search was conducted and articles reporting studies that investigated the effects of HIIT in 6 to 18-year-old youth were eligible. Meta-analyses were performed when appropriate.
EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Fifteen studies were included for the systematic review and meta-analyses. HIIT significantly improves maximal oxygen uptake (1.117 [95% CI: 0.528 to 1.706], P<0.001), and reduces body mass (-0.295 [95% CI: -0.525 to -0.066], P<0.05), body fat (-0.786 [95% CI: -1.452 to -0.120], P<0.05), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (-1.026 [95% CI: -1.370 to -0.683], P<0.001; -0.966 [95% CI: -1.628 to -0.304], P<0.01 respectively), and the HOMA-IR (-1.589 [95% CI: -2.528 to -0.650], P<0.01). However, there is significant heterogeneity, and low to high inconsistency for most cardiometabolic risk factors and aerobic fitness.
CONCLUSIONS: Although few studies have reported cardiometabolic risks, HIIT may also be as effective as traditional endurance continuous training to decrease blood pressure and insulin resistance. HIIT is effective to improve aerobic fitness, body composition, and cardiometabolic risk factors in obese youth, but data are insufficient to determine whether it is more effective than traditional continuous submaximal intensity exercise training.

KEY WORDS: High-intensity interval training - Child - Adolescent - Physical fitness