Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training Group (HIIT), Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training Group (MICT) and Control Group on Body Composition, Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Muscle Fitness of Overweight and Obese Male and Female College Students

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of HIIT and MICT on body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, and muscular fitness in overweight college students. The subjects were 66 college students aged between 18 and 20 years from Sichuan Health Vocational College, including 33 boys and 33 girls. The students were randomly divided into three groups, with 22 students in each group, including 11 boys and 11 girls. A body composition analyzer measured their BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, and skeletal muscle, and their vital capacity, 800 meters, 1000 meters, standing long jump, and sit-up data were tested using Shenzhen Hengkang Jiaye Physical Fitness Testing Instrument. The first group performed 8 weeks of HIIT, the second group performed 8 weeks of MICT, and the third group only performed daily teaching. The data before and after the experiment were analyzed using paired t-test, and the differences between the groups were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance. The paired t-test results showed that the body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, and muscular fitness of the overweight boys and girls in the first HIIT group were significantly improved after the experiment compared with before the experiment (P0.05). The one-way ANOVA showed that there were significant differences in body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, and muscular fitness among the groups, among which the improvement of the first HIIT group was the most significant, followed by the second MICT group. The results of the study show that HIIT can significantly improve the body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, and muscular fitness of overweight boys and girls. These results highlight the potential benefits of training methods in improving various physical indicators, which deserve further research to explore their long-term effects and optimize exercise interventions.

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