Comparison of the Effects of HIIT and MICT on Weight Loss in Female College Students: A Meta-Analysis

Resumen

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training (MICT) have been widely studied for their effects on weight loss. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the interventions of HIIT and MICT on overweight female college students were retrieved from PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, CNKI, and Wanfang databases up to September 1, 2023. According to the inclusion criteria, a meta-analysis was conducted. The results showed that HIIT significantly reduced and improved body weight (MD = -0.99, 95% CI = -1.82 to -0.17, P < 0.05), BMI (MD = -0.40, 95% CI = -0.69 to -0.11, P < 0.05), body fat percentage (MD = -0.82, 95% CI = -1.15 to -0.49, P < 0.05), waist-to-hip ratio (MD = -0.01, 95% CI = -0.02 to -0.00, P < 0.05), and waist circumference (MD = -1.76, 95% CI = -3.13 to -0.39, P < 0.05) in overweight female college students. The effect on hip circumference (MD = -0.45, 95% CI = -1.77 to 0.86, P = 0.50) was not statistically significant. HIIT showed overall superiority to MICT in weight loss activities aimed at overweight female college students, especially in reducing body weight and body fat percentage. It is recommended that overweight female college students with weight loss needs prioritize HIIT interventions based on weight loss efficiency and time effectiveness, with a program lasting 12 weeks, 3 times per week, and 20–30 minutes per session.