Effects of high-intensity interval training on negative affect in adolescents with obesity: an exploratory analysis of the role of self-efficacy.
- 1School of Physical Education, Henan University, Kaifeng, China.
Abstract
To investigate the effects of an 8-week school-based high-intensity interval training (HIIT) program on body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, negative affect, and self-efficacy in adolescents with obesity, and to explore whether self-efficacy statistically mediates the association between HIIT and negative affect. In this two-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial, 55 adolescents with obesity (age 13.55 ± 1.21 years; BMI 29.58 ± 3.54 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to an experimental group (HIIT, n = 27) or a control group (regular physical education, n = 28). Body composition, estimated maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max), negative affect (PANAS), and self-efficacy (GSES) were assessed before and after the 8-week intervention. The primary analyses were analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) with the post-intervention value as the dependent variable, group as the fixed factor, and the corresponding baseline value as the covariate; two-way repeated-measures ANOVAs (group×time) served as sensitivity analyses. An exploratory mediation analysis with 5,000 bias-corrected bootstrap resamples adjusted for baseline mediator, baseline outcome, sex, and age. After adjustment for baseline values, the experimental group showed significantly lower post-intervention negative affect than the control group (adjusted difference -3.72, 95% CI [-4.81, -2.63], p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.475) and significantly higher self-efficacy (adjusted difference 1.06, 95% CI [0.60, 1.53], p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.290). Body weight, BMI, visceral fat mass, subcutaneous fat mass, body fat percentage, and fat mass were also significantly lower in the experimental group (all p < 0.001), and estimated VO₂max was higher (adjusted difference 1.54 mL/kg/min, 95% CI [0.86, 2.22], p < 0.001); the latter effect was attenuated but remained significant when post-intervention estimated VO₂max was recomputed with baseline BMI held constant (0.50, 95% CI [0.03, 0.98], p = 0.040), and was corroborated by the BMI-free 20-m shuttle-run lap count (p = 0.004). The exploratory mediation analysis did not support an indirect effect through self-efficacy (a × b = 0.09, bootstrap 95% CI [-0.75, 0.82]). Eight weeks of school-based HIIT improved body composition and estimated cardiorespiratory fitness, reduced negative affect, and enhanced self-efficacy in adolescents with obesity. The indirect effect through self-efficacy was not statistically supported after baseline adjustment; because the mediator and the outcome were measured concurrently, temporal ordering cannot be established, and the mediating role of self-efficacy remains an open question for longitudinal research.
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BibTeX
@article{wang2026effects,
title = {{Effects of high-intensity interval training on negative affect in adolescents with obesity: an exploratory analysis of the role of self-efficacy.}},
author = {Shihao Wang and Chang Liu and Yali Xu},
journal = {Frontiers in pediatrics},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fped.2026.1977400},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42952846},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Effects of high-intensity interval training on negative affect in adolescents with obesity: an exploratory analysis of the role of self-efficacy.
AU - Shihao Wang
AU - Chang Liu
AU - Yali Xu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/14
JO - Frontiers in pediatrics
DO - 10.3389/fped.2026.1977400
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42952846
AB - To investigate the effects of an 8-week school-based high-intensity interval training (HIIT) program on body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, negative affect, and self-efficacy in adolescents with obesity, and to explore whether self-efficacy statistically mediates the association between HIIT and negative affect. In this two-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial, 55 adolescents with obesity (age 13.55 ± 1.21 years; BMI 29.58 ± 3.54 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to an experimental group (HIIT, n = 27) or a control group (regular physical education, n = 28). Body composition, estimated maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max), negative affect (PANAS), and self-efficacy (GSES) were assessed before and after the 8-week intervention. The primary analyses were analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) with the post-intervention value as the dependent variable, group as the fixed factor, and the corresponding baseline value as the covariate; two-way repeated-measures ANOVAs (group×time) served as sensitivity analyses. An exploratory mediation analysis with 5,000 bias-corrected bootstrap resamples adjusted for baseline mediator, baseline outcome, sex, and age. After adjustment for baseline values, the experimental group showed significantly lower post-intervention negative affect than the control group (adjusted difference -3.72, 95% CI [-4.81, -2.63], p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.475) and significantly higher self-efficacy (adjusted difference 1.06, 95% CI [0.60, 1.53], p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.290). Body weight, BMI, visceral fat mass, subcutaneous fat mass, body fat percentage, and fat mass were also significantly lower in the experimental group (all p < 0.001), and estimated VO₂max was higher (adjusted difference 1.54 mL/kg/min, 95% CI [0.86, 2.22], p < 0.001); the latter effect was attenuated but remained significant when post-intervention estimated VO₂max was recomputed with baseline BMI held constant (0.50, 95% CI [0.03, 0.98], p = 0.040), and was corroborated by the BMI-free 20-m shuttle-run lap count (p = 0.004). The exploratory mediation analysis did not support an indirect effect through self-efficacy (a × b = 0.09, bootstrap 95% CI [-0.75, 0.82]). Eight weeks of school-based HIIT improved body composition and estimated cardiorespiratory fitness, reduced negative affect, and enhanced self-efficacy in adolescents with obesity. The indirect effect through self-efficacy was not statistically supported after baseline adjustment; because the mediator and the outcome were measured concurrently, temporal ordering cannot be established, and the mediating role of self-efficacy remains an open question for longitudinal research.
SN - 2296-2360
ER -