Study characteristics
| Study | Age/population group/setting | Intervention duration/frequency/HIIT approach | HIIT vs comparison group (work:rest) | Retention rate/follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baquet et al23 N: 503 Country: France Study design: non-RCT | 11–16 Adolescents School | 10 weeks 1 h/week of HIIT; 2 h of regular PE Running | HIIT: 100–120% maximum aerobic speed (10 s:10 s) Comparison: 3 h of regular PE per week | NS Postintervention |
| Boer et al39 N: 54 Country: Belgium Study design: RCT | 17 (3.0) Adolescents with intellectual disability School | 15 weeks 2 sessions/week Cycling; sprint interval training | HIIT: Week 1–7:10 sprint bouts at a resistance matching with the ventilatory threshold (15 s:45 s). Weeks 8–15: 10 sprint bouts 110% ventilatory threshold (15 s:45s). Comparison: three blocks of 10 min continuous training and a non-exercising control group | 85% Postintervention |
| Buchan 2011a28 N: 57 Country: Scotland Study design: RCT | 16.4 (0.7) Adolescents School | 7 weeks 3 sessions/week Maximal sprint running | HIIT: four to six repeats of maximal sprint running within a 20 m area (30 s:30 s) Control: maintain usual behaviour | NS Postintervention |
| Buchan 2011b27 N: 57 Country: Scotland Study design: RCT | 16.4 (0.7) Adolescents School | 7 weeks 3 sessions/week Sprints | HIIT: four to six repeats of maximal sprint running within a 20 m area (30 s:30 s) Comparison: moderate intensity (70% VO2 max) running for a period of 20 min and a control group (maintain usual behaviour). | 96% Postintervention |
| Buchan et al29 N: 41 Country: Scotland Study design: RCT | 15–17 Adolescents School | 7 weeks 3 sessions/week Sprints | HIIT: four to six repeats maximal effort sprint within a 20 m distance (30 s:30 s) Control group: maintain usual behaviour | NS Postintervention |
| Buchan et al30 N: 89 Country: Scotland Study design: RCT | 16.7 (0.6) Adolescent School | 7 weeks 3 sessions/week Maximal sprint running | HIIT: four to six repeats of maximal sprint running within a 20 m (20–30 s:20–30 s) Control group: maintain usual behaviour | NS Postintervention |
| Buchheit et al32 N: 15 Country: France Study design: Experimental | 15.6 (0.8) Trained male handballers Training facility | 9 weeks 2 sessions/week Sprints | HIIT: sprints at 95% of the speed reached at the end of the 30–15 intermittent fitness test (15–20 s:15–20 s) Comparison: Repeated Sprints all-out 6 s shuttle sprints; 14–20 s of recovery | 88% 1 week postintervention |
| Buchheit et al31 N: 32 Country: France Study design: Experimental | 15.5 (0.9) Young elite handball players Regional training centre | 10 weeks 2 sessions/week Sprints | HIIT: 12–24 sprints at 95% of the speed reached at the end of the 30–15 Intermittent Fitness Test (15 s:15 s) Comparison: handball training, small-sided handball games | 84% Within 2 weeks postintervention |
| Farah et al40 N: 43 Country: Brazil Study design: RCT | 13–18 Obese adolescents Community-based facility | 6 months 3 sessions/week Treadmill | HIIT: exercised at an intensity corresponding to the ventilatory threshold (exercise sessions were isocaloric, with energy expenditure set at 350 kcal) Comparison: low intensity training, exercised at a speed 20% below ventilatory threshold | 44% Postintervention |
| Faude et al22 N: 10 Country: Germany Study design: Randomised cross over design | 16.6 (1.4) Competitive swimmers Sports club | 4 weeks 6 days/week Swimming | HIIT: 5×400 m at 101% individual aerobic threshold, rest 90 s Comparison: 20×100 m at 97% individual aerobic threshold, rest 10 s | NS Postintervention |
| Faude et al33 N: 20 Country: Germany Study design: Cross-over trial | 15.9 (0.8) High-level youth footballers Football club | 5.5 weeks 2–3 sessions/week Running | HIIT: HIIT consisted of two sets of 12–15 near-maximum runs of 15, 20 or 30 s duration (1:1) Comparison: high-volume continuous endurance running consisted of continuous or fartlek runs of 30–60 min | 48% Postintervention |
| Gutin et al26 N: 80 Country: USA Study design: RCT | 13–16 Obese adolescents Research institute | 8 months Offered 5 days/week Variety of activities | HIIT: 75–80% of peak VO2 Comparison: 55–60% of peak VO2 (the number of minutes of exercise needed to expend 1045 kJ was estimated for each subject, therefore session time varied) | 71% Postintervention |
| Impellizzeri et al24 N: 40 Country: Switzerland Study design: RCT | 17.2 (0.8) Junior teams of professional soccer clubs, Football club | 4 weeks 2 sessions/week running | HIIT: 4 bouts of 90–95% of maximum heart rate (4 min:3 min) Comparison: general training (small sided games) | 73% measured after 4 weeks and after 8 weeks of training |
| Impellizzeri et al25 N: 26 Country: Switzerland Study design: RCT | 17.8 (0.6) Junior soccer players Football club | 4 weeks Week 1: 2 sessions Weeks 2–4: 3 sessions Running | HIIT: 4 bouts of 90–95% of maximum heart rate (4 min:3 min) Comparison: completed normal training sessions, low-intensity technical and tactical training sessions | 81% 1 week postintervention |
| Ingul et al36 N: 10 Country: Norway Study design: Experimental | 14.8 (1.2) Obese adolescents Referred from general practice | 13 weeks 2 sessions/week Walking or running with elevation on a treadmill | HIIT: 4 bouts at 90% of maximal heart rate (4 min:6 min) Control: non-active control | 100% Postintervention |
| Koubaa et al48 N: 29 Country: Tunisia Study design: RCT | 13 (0.8) Obese males NS | 12 weeks 3 sessions/week Running | HIIT: exercise intensity was 80% of the VO2 max, increased by 5% every 4 weeks (2 min:1 min) Comparison group: 30–40 min continuous exercises a 60–70% of VO2 max | 100% Postintervention |
| Racil et al38 N: 34 Country: Tunisia Study design: RCT | 15.9 (0.3) Obese females School | 12 weeks 3 sessions/week Running | HIIT: 100 to 110% of maximal aerobic speed (30 s:30 s) Comparison group: exercising at 70–80% of maximal aerobic speed and a non-exercising control group | 94% Postintervention |
| Sandbakk et al37 N: 15 Country: Norway Study design: Experimental | 17.4 (0.5) Elite cross country skiers Sporting club | 8 weeks NS Roller ski skating | HIIT: long duration intervals (5–10 min), with an intensity of 85–92% of heart rate max Comparison: continued baseline training | 100% Postintervention |
| Sperlich et al34 N: 19 Country: Germany Study design: Experimental | 13.5 (0.4) |Soccer players Sports club | 5 weeks 3–4 sessions/week Running | HIIT: 90–95% of individual maximal heart rate, separated by periods of 1–3 min jogging at approximately 50–60% of maximal heart rate according to the training programme Comparison: high volume training 60–75% of maximal heart rate | 94% Postintervention |
| Tjønna et al35 N: 54 Country: Norway Study design: RCT | 14 (0.3) Overweight adolescents Hospital | 3 months 2 sessions/week Walking/running ‘uphill’ on a treadmill | HIIT: 4 intervals at 90% of maximal heart rate, separated by 3 min at 70% (4 min:3 min) Comparison: exercise, dietary and psychological advice, twice a month for 12 months | 50% Follow-up testing occurred at 3 and 12 months |
HIIT, high-intensity interval training; PE, physical education; RCT, randomised controlled trial; NS, not significant.