Effectiveness of a School-based High-intensity Interval Training Intervention in Adolescents: the PRO-HIIT Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial
Effectiveness of a School-based High-intensity Interval Training Intervention in Adolescents: the PRO-HIIT Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial
A 12-week school-based high-intensity interval training intervention, with 8 classes of year 7 students randomly allocated to either intervention or control group. The interval training sessions will last for 6 to 10 minutes and will be delivered 5 times per week. Outcome variables will be physical activity, body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, bone health, executive function, mental wellbeing, and academic performance, which will be measured pre- and post-intervention and two months after the intervention has been completed.
The purpose of this study is to: 1) evaluate the effectiveness of a 12-week school-based HIIT intervention on cardiorespiratory fitness (primary outcome), physical activity, body composition, muscular strength, bone health, executive function, wellbeing, enjoyment, affect, self-efficacy and academic performance among 12-13-year-old adolescents; 2) to examine the changes of these outcomes following a two-month unstructured summer holiday after the study has been completed; 3) to conduct a process evaluation for the study.
The study is a 12-week high-intensity interval training intervention, which is 6 to 10-minute in length and will be delivered 5 times per week among year 7 adolescents, at the start of physical education and physical activity lessons. We will examine the effectiveness of this intervention on outcomes, such as body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular health, bone health, cognitive function, mental wellbeing, and academic performance. In addition, The investigators will evaluate the fitness changes between school days (structured day) and a two-month summer holiday (unstructured days). This will be achieved by collecting data at three timepoints: pre- and post-intervention and after a 2-month (summer holiday) following the completion of the intervention.
The high-intensity interval training includes resistance-based exercises, such as jumping jacks, high knees, burpees, squat jumps, lunge jumps, and mountain climbers.
Inclusion Criteria:
• Year 7 students
Exclusion Criteria: