Obesity is among the main public health challenges of the 21st century [1]; it has reached epidemic proportions in Western countries [2]. This condition significantly impacts the development of other metabolic diseases, especially in adolescents. Besides, obesity is associated with decreased GH secretion [16] as well as serum IGF-I [17]. Furthermore, High-Intensity Intermittent Training (HIIT), in different models, usually presents different effects on growth hormone concentrations [29, 30] as well as IGF-1 [34]. It is necessary to explore approaches to improve the effects of obesity and overweight in adolescents; thus, this study aimed to compare the effects of two types of HIIT for 8 weeks on body composition and resting levels of some anabolic factors in overweight adolescent boys. 

This was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test, post-test and a control group design. After inviting to participate in the study, initial assessments, including height, weight, body fat percentage, waist circumference, hip circumference, and other anthropometric indices were performed. Of the eligible and volunteer individuals, 30 subjects were selected as the study sample. The study subjects provided informed consent forms., Accordingly the research subjects underwent medical examinations. After measuring body composition [height, weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), body fat percentage, and waist circumference] and blood parameters, the examined individuals were divided into 3 groups of 10 subjects, as follows: short-term training (nine 30-second intervals with 150-second breaks between sessions), long-term intermittent training (four 150-second intervals with 240-second breaks), and controls who were trained for 8 weeks. Body composition and blood samples were obtained 48 hours before and after performing the training protocol to measure the relevant indicators. The changes of each index were analyzed by repeated-measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) at a significant level of P<0.05.

The results of repeated-measures ANOVA suggested that short-term and long-term HIIT training presented optimal and significant effects on body fat percentage, hip circumference, and arm circumference; however, this exercise did not change BMI, weight, waist, and hips circumferences in the study subjects. Moreover, the provided short-term and long-term HIIT training increased serum growth hormone levels in the examined overweight adolescents and indicated no effect on IGF-1 levels. Table 1 lists all Pre-test and Post-test data related to the studied indicators.

 Consistent with the present study findings, Abdul Rahman et al. (2018) reported that 7 weeks of HIIT training o increased GH in men. They declared that one of the reasons for the increase in GH induced by HIIT exercises is elevated catecholamines. Increased epinephrine and norepinephrine following strenuous activity can enhance GH production and release by affecting anabolic pathways [31]. Moreover, Stekus et al. (2002) argued that the duration of exercise is effective in increasing the GH. In their study, a 30-second HIIT episode further increased serum GH than a 6-second HIIT. The researchers attributed the difference to the high level of work performed in the 30-second activity [30]. However, inconsistent with the present study data and in one of the few studies, Hejazi (2017) examined the effect of 10 weeks of short-term HIIT training; they concluded this type of training can significantly increase IGF-1 [34]. The exercise conducted in Hejazi’s study was short-term; thus, the longer training period in Hejazi study may have caused this difference. In the present study, short-term HIIT training increased IGF-1 values ​​by 10 units despite not being significant.

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Tabriz University (Code: IR.TABRIZU.REC.1398.021).

This study was extracted from the PhD. dissertation of third author at the Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of physical Education and Sports Science, University of Tabriz, Tabriz. 

Conceptualization, text writing and review: All authors; Research and sampling method: Tohid Khanvari; Data analysis: Tohid Khanvari, Javad Vakili.

The authors declared no conflict of interest.
 

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