The high-intensity interval training introduced in physical education lessons decrease systole in high blood pressure...

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Adolescent Health
• Cardiovascular Research

Background:

• Elevated resting blood pressure (BP) is a growing concern among adolescents, posing significant health risks.
• Effective interventions are needed to manage and reduce BP in this demographic.
• Physical education (PE) offers a potential platform for implementing such interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a 10-week High-Intensive Interval Training (HIIT) program, specifically the Tabata protocol, on resting blood pressure in adolescents.
• To determine if HIIT integrated into PE lessons can reduce systolic and diastolic BP in secondary school students.

Main Methods:

• A 10-week intervention involving a HIIT-Tabata protocol (14 minutes, 75-80% maximal heart rate) conducted once weekly during PE lessons.
• Participants included 52 boys and 89 girls (aged 16.12-16.23 years) from a secondary school, divided into experimental (EG) and control (CG) groups based on initial BP.
• Changes in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured before and after the intervention.

Main Results:

• The experimental group (EG) with high blood pressure showed a significant average reduction in SBP of 12.77 mmHg (p < 0.0001).
• Normotensive adolescents in the EG experienced a statistically significant greater reduction in SBP (1.81 mmHg, p = 0.0089) compared to the control group (CG).

Conclusions:

• High-Intensive Interval Training (HIIT) is an effective method for decreasing blood pressure in adolescents.
• Incorporating HIIT into physical education curricula in secondary schools is recommended for improving adolescent BP parameters and overall cardiovascular health.