Overview of the exercise training programmes of studies that have examined individual variability in exercise response
| Study and groups | N | Frequency | Intensity | Time | Mode | Duration | Standardisation | % Female | % White | Age, years | BMI, kg/m2 | Baseline VO2max, mL/kg/min | Mean ∆VO2max | ∆VO2max range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lortie et al 20* | 24 | 3–4×/week | 60%–85% HRR | 40–45 min/session | Cycle | 20 weeks | Monitored HR every 2 min to make sure intensity was maintained. | 54 | 100 | 25 (4) | % fat: 23 (8) | 37 (7) | 30 (15)% | 5%–88% |
|
HERITAGE† Bouchard et al 28 | 720 | 3×/week | 55%–75% VO2max | 30–50 min/session | Cycle | 20 weeks | Cycles were controlled by HR. Intensity and duration were fixed but increased at different rates across subjects. | 56 | 66 | 35.0 (14) | 26.5 (5.3) | 31.2 (8.8) | 384 (202) mL/min; 18 (9)% | −114–1097 mL/min −5%–51% |
|
DREW‡ Sisson et al 6 | 397 | 24 weeks | Weekly kcal goals for each group. Weighed weekly. HR was continually monitored and recorded every 6 min, as were speed and grade on the treadmill and Watts on the cycle ergometer. | 100 | ||||||||||
| Control | 87 | – | – | – | – | 100 | 66 | 57.2 (5.8) | 32.3 (3.9) | 15.6 (3) | N/A | N/A | ||
| 4 KKW | 138 | 3–4×/week | 50% VO2 peak | 72.2 (12.3) min/week | cycle and treadmill | 100 | 59 | 58.0 (6.5) | 31.4 (3.7) | 15.4 (3) | 29 (144) mL/min | −33%–76% | ||
| 8 KKW | 84 | 3–4×/week | 50% VO2 peak | 135.8 (19.5) min/week | 100 | 58 | 56.7 (6.4) | 32.3 (4.1) | 14.9 (2) | 88 (129) mL/min | −25%–42% | |||
| 12 KKW | 88 | 3–4×/week | 50% VO2 peak | 191.7 (33.7) min/week | 100 | 74 | 56.3 (6.0) | 31.0 (3.5 | 16.1 (3) | 106 (146) mL/min | −14%–59% | |||
|
Jyvaskyla§ Karavirta et al 55 | 74 | |||||||||||||
| Control | 31 | – | – | – | – | 21 weeks | Monitored HR to maintain intensity. | 55 | 100 | 52.5 (8.5) | M: 25.3 (2); F: 24.2 (2) | M: 35 (6); F: 27 (6) | M: 0%; F: 1% | M: −6 to +5%; F: −5 to +7% |
| AT | 43 | 2×/week | Around aerobic and anaerobic thresholds | 60–90 min/session | Cycle | 49 | 100 | 52.5 (7.5) | M: 24.8 (3); F: 25.7 (2) | M: 33 (7); F: 25 (5) | M: 10%; F: 18% | M: 6%–15%; F: 12%–24% | ||
|
1 year trial¶ Scharhag-Rosenberger et al
56 AT | 18 | 3×/week | 60% HRR | 45 min/session | Jogging/walking | 1 year | Telemetric HR system used. Intensity and duration fixed. | 100 | 42 (5) | 24 (3) | 38 (5) | 0.36 (0.32) L/min | −0.38 to 0.87 L/min | |
|
HART-D** Johannsen et al 58 | 140 | 62 | 56 | 57.1 (8.1) | 34.4 (5.8) | 19.5 (4.3) | mL/kg/min | Proportion achieving: >0, >1.75, >3.5 mL/kg/min | ||||||
| Control | 33 | – | – | – | – | 9 months | Weekly kcal goals for each group. Weighed weekly. HR monitored. | 67 | 52 | 58.2 (8.4) | 35.0 (6.2) | 18.7 (3.6) | −0.5 (−1.4, 0.4) | 44%, 12.5%, 3.1% |
| AT | 51 | 3–5×/week | 65%–80% VO2 peak | 150 min/week | Treadmill | 63 | 61 | 55.7 (7.9) | 34.1 (5.8) | 20.3 (5.2) | 0.2 (−0.6, 1.0) | 63%, 19.6%, 5.9% | ||
| AT/RT | 56 | 3–5×/week | 65%–80% VO2 peak | 64 | 54 | 56.7 (7.6) | 34.7 (6.2) | 19.1 (3.4) | 0.9 (0.2, 1.6) | 68.5%, 31.5%, 17% | ||||
|
Wake Forest study in older adults†† Chmelo et al 57 | 31 | 4×/week | 65%–70% HRR | 30 min/session | Treadmill walking | 5 months | Monitored HR to maintain intensity. Intensity and duration fixed. | 78 | 83 | 69.0 (3.6) | 34.1 (3.1) | 18.8 (3.7) | 1.5 (1.3) mL/kg/min; 7.9% | 0.4 to 4.3 mL/kg/min |
|
Queens University Study‡‡ Ross et al 5 | 172 | L/min | ||||||||||||
| LALI | 39 | 5×/week | 50% VO2 peak | ~30 min/session | Treadmill walking | 24 weeks | Weekly kcal goals for each group. Weighed weekly. HR monitored. | 64 | 100 | 53.7 (6.9) | 33.2 (3.9) | 28.1 (5.3) | 0.26 (0.25) | −8% to 30% |
| HALI | 51 | 5×/week | 50% VO2 peak | ~60 min/session | 63 | 100 | 52.5 (8.0) | 33.1 (5.1) | 29.0 (5.0) | 0.41 (0.31) | −10% to 43% | |||
| HAHI | 31 | 5×/week | 75% VO2 peak | ~60 min/session | 58 | 100 | 53.9 (7.2) | 32.9 (3.7) | 28.6 (5.2) | 0.63 (0.29) | +7% to 118% |
Values presented as mean (SD).
*Lortie et al. Int J Sports Med 198420; standardisation: monitored HR every 2 min to make sure intensity was maintained; PA outside of study: no mention but sedentary whole lives before study; adherence: N/A
†HERITAGE 1999 (Bouchard et al. J Appl Physiol 1999)28; standardisation: cycles were controlled by HR. Intensity and duration were fixed but increased at different rates across subjects; PA outside of study: instructed to not exercise outside of study. PA logs taken; adherence: >95%; programme adherence was monitored several times per week. Participants were contacted when they appeared to be falling behind, and a plan was developed to bring them back on schedule as soon as possible
‡DREW 2009 (Sisson et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2009)6; standardisation: weekly kcal goals for each group. Weighed weekly. HR was continually monitored and recorded every 6 min, as were speed and grade on the treadmill and Watts on the cycle ergometer; PA outside of study: step counter used to measure daily PA; adherence: 89%–95%. Ninety-seven per cent with completers only.
§Jyvaskyla 2011 (Karavirta et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2011)55; standardisation: monitored HR to maintain intensity; PA outside of study: no mention; adherence: 99%.
¶1 year study 2012 (Scharhag-Rosenberger et al. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2012)56; dtandardisation: telemetric system used. Intensity and duration were fixed; PA outside of study: no mention; adherence: high compliance but not quantified.
**HART-D 2013 (Johannsen et al. Diabetes Care 2013)58; standardisation: weekly kcal goals for each group. Weighed weekly. HR monitored; PA outside of study: step counter used to measure daily PA; adherence: per protocol analysis >70%.
††Wake Forest Study 2015 (Chmelo et al. J Am Geriatr Soc 2015)57; standardisation: monitored HR to maintain intensity. Intensity and duration fixed; PA outside of study: no mention; adherence: 86% AT, 85% RT.
‡‡Queens Study 2015 (Ross et al. Mayo Clin Proc 2015)5; standardisation: weekly kcal goals for each group. Weighed weekly.
HR monitored; PA outside of study: PA measured at baseline, weeks 16 and 25 using accelerometer; adherence: >90%.
AT, anaerobic threshold; BMI, body mass index; F, female; HAHI, high amount high intensity; HALI, high amount low intensity; HRR, heart rate reserve; KKW, kcal per kilogram of body weight per week; LALI, low amount low intensity; M, male; PA, physical activity; RT, resistance training; VO 2max, maximal oxygen uptake.