Intensive exercise bouts with intervals ‘may be more effective’

A new study has highlighted the potential health advantages of short bursts of intensive exercise punctuated by breaks.

The University of Leicester research examined the effects of exercise on the prevention, delay and management of type 2 diabetes and weight gain, indicating that shorter bursts may be more effective than longer forms of exercise.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) was shown to be ideal for optimising the body's ability to use and store blood sugar, based on a meta-analysis of experimental research.

Researcher Charlotte Jelleyman said: "We have demonstrated that HIIT conveys benefits to cardiometabolic health which, in the cases of insulin resistance and aerobic fitness, may be superior to the effect of traditional continuous training."

Currently, the guidelines for weight loss suggest that 200 to 300 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per week are required for optimum diabetes and weight management, but only five percent of people in some industrialised countries achieve this amount.

It was noted that more research is needed to determine behavioural responses and clinical benefits over the longer term for HIIT.