High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, is all the rage these days, but it may not be as beneficial for weight loss and blood pressure as a moderate-intensity, more frequent exercise regimen, a new University of Guelph study has revealed.
Researchers found that moderate-intensity exercise five times a week lowers body fat and improves blood pressure, but these health outcomes did not occur following a HIIT program three times a week.
The study was led by Drs. Jamie Burr and Graham Holloway, professors in the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, and PhD student Heather Petrick.
“All exercise is good exercise, whether it’s fast, furious and infrequent, or slow, steady and sustainable,” Burr said. “But compared to infrequent interval training, daily moderate exercise appears to be more effective at improving blood pressure and blood glucose.”