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The impact of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on arterial stiffness and blood pressure in young obese women: a randomized controlled trial

Hypertension Research volume 43, pages 1315–1318 (2020)Cite this article

Arterial stiffness (AS) is a strong predictor of future cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality [1]. Although aging and hypertension are the main factors influencing the stiffening process, obesity is also considered an independent predictor of AS [2]. There is consistent evidence that aerobic training (AT) reduces AS [3]. However, the role of AT intensity in reducing AS is still unclear [3]. In obese individuals, it appears that moderate-to-high intensity AT does not improve AS [4]. In fact, Clark et al. [5] recently did not find a reduction in AS after 6 weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) in overweight/obese men, despite a significant decrease in central blood pressure (BP). Nevertheless, little is known about the effects of HIIT and MICT on AS and central BP in obese women. In a previous study, we found that a single bout of HIIT or MICT did not change AS, wherein only HIIT reduced the augmentation index (AIx) and central systolic BP (SBP) in young obese women [6]. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of 8 weeks of HIIT and MICT on AS and central BP in young obese women.

Twenty-five young obese women (18–35 years; BMI = 30–39.9 kg/m2), with no history of chronic diseases or continuous medication use, participated in this parallel experimental design study (Supplementary Table 1). They were randomly assigned to HIIT (4 × 4 min at 85–95% of HRmax, interspersed with 3-min periods of active recovery at 65–75% of HRmax) or MICT (41 min at 65–75% of HRmax) (Supplementary Fig. 1). The exercise protocols were performed on a running track and standardized to maintain similar energy expenditure [6]. Central BP, carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and AIx were measured by SphygmoCor® (AtCor Medical, Sydney, Australia) [7] before and after 8 weeks. This study was approved by the local ethics committee (CAAE-08935419.5.0000.0104) and registered on the Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry (RBR-3v3dqf).

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Acknowledgements

This study was financed by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brazil (CAPES), the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), and the Fundação Araucária de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico do Estado do Paraná (FA), Brazil.

Funding

This study was supported by a grant from the Fundação Araucária de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico do Estado do Paraná (FA) e do Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) (CP 20/18 PPP).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Education, Center of Health Sciences, State University of Maringa, Maringa, Brazil

    Gustavo H. de Oliveira, Caroline F. Simões, João C. Locatelli, Victor H. S. Mendes, Higor B. Reck, Carla Eloise Costa & Wendell A. Lopes

  2. Research Group on Systemic Arterial Hypertension, Arterial Stiffness and Vascular Aging (GPHARV), State University of Maringa, Maringa, Brazil

    Gustavo H. de Oliveira, Caroline F. Simões, João C. Locatelli, Victor H. S. Mendes, Higor B. Reck, Carla Eloise Costa, Rogério T. P. Okawa & Wendell A. Lopes

  3. Department of Pharmacology, University Paris Descartes, Paris, France

    Pierre Boutouyrie

  4. Department of Medicine, Center of Health Sciences, State University of Maringa, Maringa, Brazil

    Rogério T. P. Okawa

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  1. Gustavo H. de Oliveira
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de Oliveira, G.H., Boutouyrie, P., Simões, C.F. et al. The impact of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on arterial stiffness and blood pressure in young obese women: a randomized controlled trial. Hypertens Res 43, 1315–1318 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41440-020-0477-2

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