High-intensity interval training improves myocardial work and cardiac function in women with obesity: a randomized controlled study
9 affiliations
- 1Research Group on Systemic Arterial Hypertension, Arterial Stiffness and Vascular Aging, Maringa, Brazil
- 2Cesumar University, Maringa, Brazil
- 3Department of Physical Education, State University of Maringa, Maringa, Brazil
- 4School of Human Sciences (Sport Science, Exercise and Health), The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA Australia
- 5Department of Medicine, State University of Maringa, Maringa, Brazil
- 6Diabetes Research Centre, College of Life Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
- 7Department of Cardiology, St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust,, London, UK
- 8Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- 9Research Centre for Physical Activity, Health and Leisure, Porto, Portugal
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on cardiac function and myocardial work (MW) in women with obesity. Twenty-five women with obesity (Age: 28 ± 5 years, BMI: 35.03 ± 3.19 kg/m²) were randomized to 8 weeks of either HIIT (n = 11, 4×4-min at 85–95% of HRmax) or MICT (n = 14, 41-min at 65–75% of HRmax). Cardiac function and strains were evaluated using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography. MW indices were computed via dedicated software. HIIT significantly improved myocardial efficiency, as evidenced by a reduction in global wasted work (GWW [d = 0.64, p = 0.042]) and an increase global work efficiency (GWE [d = 0.83, p = 0.005]). Both HIIT and MICT reduced left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS, p = 0.017 for HIIT; p = 0.023 for MICT), left atrial (LA) contraction (p < 0.001 for both), LA conduit (p = 0.002 for both), LA reservoir (p = 0.003 for HIIT; p < 0.001 for MICT), and LA stiffness (p = 0.004 for HIIT, p = 0.031 for MICT). HIIT and MICT both improved myocardial deformation in women with obesity. However, only HIIT improved myocardial efficiency, suggesting a potential superiority for targeting subclinical cardiac dysfunction in this population.
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BibTeX
@article{simoes2026highintensity,
title = {{High-intensity interval training improves myocardial work and cardiac function in women with obesity: a randomized controlled study}},
author = {Caroline Ferraz Simões and Higor Barbosa Reck and João Carlos Locatelli and Gustavo Henrique de Oliveira and Victor Hugo de Souza Mendes and Rogério Toshiro Passos Okawa and Jamie O’Driscoll and Jorge Mota and Wendell Arthur Lopes},
journal = {International Journal of Obesity (2005)},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1038/s41366-026-02158-4},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-026-02158-4},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - High-intensity interval training improves myocardial work and cardiac function in women with obesity: a randomized controlled study
AU - Caroline Ferraz Simões
AU - Higor Barbosa Reck
AU - João Carlos Locatelli
AU - Gustavo Henrique de Oliveira
AU - Victor Hugo de Souza Mendes
AU - Rogério Toshiro Passos Okawa
AU - Jamie O’Driscoll
AU - Jorge Mota
AU - Wendell Arthur Lopes
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/10
JO - International Journal of Obesity (2005)
DO - 10.1038/s41366-026-02158-4
UR - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-026-02158-4
AB - The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on cardiac function and myocardial work (MW) in women with obesity. Twenty-five women with obesity (Age: 28 ± 5 years, BMI: 35.03 ± 3.19 kg/m²) were randomized to 8 weeks of either HIIT (n = 11, 4×4-min at 85–95% of HRmax) or MICT (n = 14, 41-min at 65–75% of HRmax). Cardiac function and strains were evaluated using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography. MW indices were computed via dedicated software. HIIT significantly improved myocardial efficiency, as evidenced by a reduction in global wasted work (GWW [d = 0.64, p = 0.042]) and an increase global work efficiency (GWE [d = 0.83, p = 0.005]). Both HIIT and MICT reduced left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS, p = 0.017 for HIIT; p = 0.023 for MICT), left atrial (LA) contraction (p < 0.001 for both), LA conduit (p = 0.002 for both), LA reservoir (p = 0.003 for HIIT; p < 0.001 for MICT), and LA stiffness (p = 0.004 for HIIT, p = 0.031 for MICT). HIIT and MICT both improved myocardial deformation in women with obesity. However, only HIIT improved myocardial efficiency, suggesting a potential superiority for targeting subclinical cardiac dysfunction in this population.
SN - 0307-0565
SN - 1476-5497
ER -