Effects of high-intensity interval training on body morphology and mental health in obese female college students.

AIM: To investigate the impacts of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on body morphology along with mental health in obese female college students.

METHODS

One hundred and twenty obese female college students admitted to our university from October 2022 to October 2025 were included and randomly divided into control group and study group. The former implemented routine health education without any structured exercise intervention, while the latter underwent a 12-week HIIT intervention (three sessions per week, 30 min per session). Comparisons included Body morphology indicators, mental health indicators, biochemical indicators, sleep quality along with quality of life.

RESULTS

Following the intervention, compared to the control group, the study group demonstrated significant improvements across multiple metrics. Specifically, the study group exhibited a lower body mass index, reduced body fat percentage, decreased waist circumference, and a lower waist-to-hip ratio (P < 0.05). In terms of mental health, the study group had lower scores on the PHQ-9 for depression and the GAD-7 for anxiety, while showing higher scores on the SES for self-esteem (P < 0.05). Physical fitness improvements were also notable, with the study group displaying higher VO2max and vital capacity (P < 0.05). Additionally, the study group showed better lipid profiles, lower fasting blood glucose levels, and improved sleep quality as indicated by lower PSQI scores (P < 0.05). Finally, the study group scored higher on all dimensions of the SF-36 quality of life scale (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

HIIT intervention can effectively improve body morphology, mental health, physical fitness, biochemical indicators, sleep quality, and quality of life in obese female college students.