A 10-week high-intensity interval training program implemented during physical education lessons reduced systolic blood pressure by an average of 12.77 mmHg in adolescents with high blood pressure.
RCT (n=141)
Simple, non-returnable group randomization
No
Does a 10-week High-Intensive Interval Training (HIIT) program introduced in physical education lessons reduce resting blood pressure in adolescents?
A 10-week HIIT program implemented during school physical education lessons significantly reduces systolic blood pressure in adolescents with elevated baseline blood pressure.
p-value: p=<0.0001
Abstract Increased resting blood pressure (BP) is a risk factor for many health complications. The prevalence of elevated BP is growing among adolescents. There is a need to investigate effective ways of decreasing excessive blood pressure in this age group. The study aim was to determine the effect of 10-weeks High-Intensive Interval Training (HIIT)—Tabata protocol—introduced in physical education (PE) lessons on resting blood pressure in adolescents. The sample included 52 boys aged 16.23 ± 0.33 years body height176.74 ± 6.07 (m), body weight 65.42 ± 12.51 (kg), BMI 20.89 ± 3.53 (kg/m 2 ) and 89 girls aged 16.12 ± 0.42 years, body height 164.38 ± 6.54 (m), body weight 56.71 ± 10.23 (kg), BMI 20.93 ± 3.08 (kg/m 2 ) from secondary school. Based on resting BP, the fractions of boys and girls with normal BP and high BP were identified and divided into experimental (EG) and control (CG) groups. EG completed a 10-weeks HIIT program (three cycles of Tabata protocol) implemented in one PE lesson during a week. The duration of the effort was 14 min. The intensity was at 75–80% of maximal heart rate. Changes in systolic and diastolic BP after the experiment were examined. The results indicated the improvement in SBP in EG with high BP compared to the rest of the groups (average reduction of 12.77 mmHg; p < 0.0001). The EG normotensive had a statistically significant higher reduction of SBP comparing CG normotensive (average decrease of 1.81 mmHG; p = 0.0089). HIIT effectively decreases BP in adolescents. Implementing HIIT in PE lessons in secondary school is recommended to improve BP parameters.
Popowczak et al. (Mon,) conducted a rct in High blood pressure and normotension (n=141). High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) - Tabata protocol vs. Standard physical education program was evaluated on Change in systolic blood pressure (SBP) in adolescents with high blood pressure (p=<0.0001). A 10-week high-intensity interval training program implemented during physical education lessons reduced systolic blood pressure by an average of 12.77 mmHg in adolescents with high blood pressure.