High-intensity Interval Training for Obese Individuals

Summary

This proposal's objective is to investigate the effects of a high-intensity intermittent stair climbing program on insulin resistance in individuals with obesity and at risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Obesity (defined as body mass index ≥ 30kg/m2) is a major risk factor for T2D. The connection between obesity and T2D involves the development of insulin resistance (IR). Exercise training is an effective non-pharmacological approach to prevent and treat IR. Despite the efficacy of exercise training on ameliorating IR, most individuals do not achieve the minimum recommended levels of physical activity and cite "lack of time" and difficulty in accessing exercise facilities as barriers to exercise. Proposed as a time-efficient alternative, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which consists of short periods of high-intensity efforts alternated with brief periods of recovery, is an efficient strategy to improve IR. However, most HIIT protocols have been studied in laboratory-based settings requiring access to specialized equipment (i.e. treadmills, cycle ergometers) and are not practical for the general population. The use of high-intensity intermittent stair climbing may be a suitable exercise strategy from an accessibility perspective. With evidence to suggest improvements in IR following HIIT in individuals with obesity or T2D, the application of a similar approach using high-intensity intermittent stair climbing to directly assess changes in IR in a population at risk of T2D populations is warranted. Completion of this study will help elucidate if an easy to implement, time-efficient and low-cost exercise training program improves insulin resistance in individuals at risk of T2D.

Conditions

• Obesity
• Insulin Resistance

Interventions

OTHER

high-intensity interval training

The HIIT protocol consists of 8 weeks using stair climbing three times per week. The warm-up will consist of 2 minutes of ascending and descending the stairs at a comfortable pace. The high-intensity intermittent exercise will comprise 6-12 x 30-seconds bouts of ascending at an all-effort. A 30- seconds walking recovery will occur between the exercise bouts. Post-exercise the subject will walk during a 2-minute cool down. Every session will last between 10 to 15 minutes. The number of bouts (6-12) will be increased progressively over the weeks. The first (week 1) and final week (week 8) of the exercise program will be monitored by a trained exercise physiologist. During supervised visits, heart rate and rating of perceived exertion (OMNI scale) will be measured at the end of each bout and after active recovery. Subjects will have the option to request further monitoring if desired.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• New Mexico Inbre

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• University of New Mexico

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Fabiano Amorim, PhD · University of New Mexico

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

45 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-01-01

Primary Completion

2023-04-15

Completion

2023-05-12

Countries

• United States

Study Locations