THE EFFECTS OF HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING ON CARDIO VASCULAR FUNCTION IN SEDENTARY INDIVIDUALS.

Background: Sedentary lifestyle is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, making it crucial to identify effective interventions to improve cardiovascular function in this population. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has emerged as a time-efficient and effective exercise intervention to improve cardiovascular health. Aim: To investigate the effects of HIIT on cardiovascular function in sedentary individuals. Methods: Fifty sedentary individuals (25 males and 25 females) were recruited and randomly assigned into either an experimental (HIIT) or a control group. The experimental group underwent a 12-week HIIT program, while the control group maintained their sedentary lifestyle. Cardiovascular function was assessed by measuring resting heart rate (RHR), blood pressure (BP), and maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) at baseline and after 12 weeks. Results: At baseline, there were no significant differences between the HIIT and control groups in RHR, BP, or VO2max. After 12 weeks, the HIIT group had a significant decrease in RHR (from 75.2 ± 8.3 bpm to 68.3 ± 7.5 bpm, p < 0.001) and BP (systolic BP from 124.7 ± 11.5 mmHg to 118.3 ± 9.9 mmHg, p = 0.001; diastolic BP from 78.6 ± 8.5 mmHg to 72.9 ± 6.8 mmHg, p < 0.001), and a significant increase in VO2max (from 31.6 ± 4.1 ml/kg/min to 36.8 ± 4.3 ml/kg/min, p < 0.001) compared to the control group. In contrast, there were no significant changes in RHR, BP, or VO2max in the control group. Conclusion: The results suggest that HIIT may be an effective intervention to improve cardiovascular function in sedentary individuals. These findings have important implications for developing interventions to prevent or treat cardiovascular diseases in sedentary populations. Future research should investigate the long-term effects of HIIT on cardiovascular function and other health outcomes in sedentary individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]