High-Intensity Functional Training (HIFT) vs Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training (MICT) in College Students

The Effects of Interval Compared to Continuous Training on Physical Variables and Vascular Health in College Students: A Three-Arm Randomized Controlled Trial

The purpose of this study is to compare two types of exercise programs in college students: high-intensity functional training and moderate-intensity continuous training. The study evaluates whether these exercise programs improve body composition, physical fitness, and blood vessel health compared with a group that does not participate in exercise training. In addition, the study examines whether changes in body composition and physical fitness are associated with changes in blood vessel health.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Exercise
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: High-Intensity Functional Training (HIFT); Behavioral: Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training (MICT)

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 90
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Arlette Perry, PhD; Phone Number: 305-284-3025; Email: aperry@miami.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • Florida
    • Coral Gables, Florida, United States, 33146
      • Merrick Building, University of Miami
      • Contact: Arlette Perry, PhD; Phone Number: 305-284-3025; Email: aperry@miami.edu

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 18 to 35 years.
• Currently enrolled college or university student.
• Able to provide written informed consent.
• Able to attend baseline and post-intervention testing visits and participate in assigned intervention sessions.
• Cleared for exercise participation based on the health screening form and investigator review.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Known cardiovascular, metabolic, pulmonary, renal, neurological, musculoskeletal, or endocrine disorder that would make exercise unsafe or confound outcome measures.
• Current pregnancy or planning pregnancy during the study period.
• Current smoking, vaping nicotine products, or use of tobacco products.
• Uncontrolled hypertension or resting blood pressure values that make exercise testing unsafe based on investigator judgment.
• Use of medications known to substantially affect cardiovascular function, vascular tone, or exercise responses, unless approved by the PI.
• Any injury, orthopedic limitation, or medical condition preventing safe participation in HIFT, MICT, or physical fitness testing.
• Currently participating in structured high-intensity interval, functional, or endurance training more than two days per week during the previous three months.
• Do not speak English.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: High-intensity Functional Training (HIFT) Group; Participants in this group will perform supervised high-intensity functional training (HIFT) using multi-joint functional movements. Participants will complete training 3 days per week for 8 weeks.	Behavioral: High-Intensity Functional Training (HIFT); Participants will perform supervised high-intensity functional training using multi-joint functional movements that may include body-weight exercises, resistance-based movements, step-ups, squats, lunges, push-ups or modified push-ups, core exercises, etc. The intervention will be conducted over 8 weeks, with participants completing three sessions per week. Each session will last approximately 40 to 60 minutes.
Experimental: Moderate-intensity Continuous Training (MICT) Group; Participants in this group will perform supervised moderate-intensity continuous aerobic exercise. Participants will complete training 3 days per week for 8 weeks.	Behavioral: Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training (MICT); Participants will perform supervised moderate-intensity continuous aerobic exercise such as treadmill walking/jogging, cycling, elliptical exercise, or step-based aerobic activity. The intervention will be conducted over 8 weeks, with participants completing three sessions per week. Each session will last approximately 40 to 60 minutes.
No Intervention: Control Group; The control group will not receive supervised exercise training during the intervention period.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Carotid-Femoral Pulse Wave Velocity (cfPWV)	Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) will be measured in meters per second (m/s) at baseline and post intervention as an indicator of arterial stiffness. Measurement will be obtained using the SphygmoCor XCEL device (AtCor Medical) with upper arm and thigh cuffs with carotid artery applanation tonometry to assess pulse wave transit time	Baseline and Week 10 (post-intervention)
Change in Central Augmentation Index (cAIx)	The central augmentation index (cAIx), expressed as a percentage, will be assessed at baseline and post-intervention using the SphygmoCor XCEL device via pulse wave analysis of the central arterial waveform derived from carotid artery tonometry and peripheral blood pressure measurements.	Baseline and Week 10 (post-intervention)
Change in Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP)	Mean arterial pressure (MAP), measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg), will be assessed at baseline and post-intervention. MAP will be assessed using the SphygmoCor XCEL system (AtCor Medical) based on an algorithm derived from peripheral blood pressure obtained via an automated upper arm cuff.	Baseline and Week 10 (post-intervention)
Percent Change in Flow-Mediated Dilation (FMD)	Flow-Mediated Dilation (FMD) will be measured at baseline and post-intervention using a Philips Affiniti 50 ultrasound system and expressed as the percent (%) change in brachial artery diameter from pre-occlusion baseline to peak dilation following a 5-minute forearm occlusion. The outcome will be reported as the change in FMD (%) from baseline to post-intervention.	Baseline and Week 10 (post-intervention)
Change in Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (cIMT)	Carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), measured in millimeters (mm), will be assessed using a Philips Affiniti 50 ultrasound system at baseline and post-intervention. High-resolution B-mode images of the distal common carotid artery will be acquired, and mean wall thickness will be calculated from standardized image segments of the left and right carotid arteries.	Baseline and Week 10 (post-intervention)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Body mass index (BMI)	Body mass index (BMI), measured in kilograms per meter squared (kg/m²), will be calculated from standardized measurements of height and weight.	Baseline and Week 10 (post-intervention)
Change in Waist Circumference (WC)	Waist circumference (WC), measured in centimeters (cm), will be assessed using a standardized measuring tape at the level of the iliac crest.	Baseline and 10 weeks (post-intervention)
Change in Body fat percentage (BF%)	Body fat percentage (BF%) will be assessed using the SECA mBCA (Medical Body Composition Analyzer) bioelectrical impedance analyzer and reported as a percentage (%).	Baseline and 10 weeks (post-intervention)
Change in Skeletal Muscle Mass (SMM)	Skeletal muscle mass (SMM) will be assessed using the SECA mBCA (Medical Body Composition Analyzer) bioelectrical impedance analyzer and reported in kilograms (kg).	Baseline and 10 weeks (post-intervention)
Change in visceral adipose tissue (VAT)	Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) will be measured using the SECA mBCA (Medical Body Composition Analyzer) bioelectrical impedance analyzer and reported in liters (L).	Baseline and 10 weeks (post-intervention)
Change in Muscular Strength	Muscular strength will be measured to include lower body muscular strength and upper body handgrip strength. Lower body muscular strength will be assessed using a hip-hinge/deadlift-style test with a force plate transducer to measure maximal force production. Upper body handgrip strength will be assessed using a calibrated hydraulic hand dynamometer. Results will be reported in kilograms (kg).	Baseline and Week 10 (post-intervention)
Change in Cardiorespiratory Fitness	Cardiorespiratory fitness will be assessed using the Queens College Step Test. Heart rate will be recorded at the end of the test and used to measure cardiorespiratory fitness in milliliters of oxygen consumed per kilogram of body weight per minute (mL / kg / min). The outcome will be reported as the change from baseline to post-intervention.	Baseline and Week 10 (post-intervention)
Change in Muscular Endurance	Muscular endurance will be assessed using the 1-minute curl-up test. Participants will complete as many correctly performed curl-ups as possible within 1 minute, and the number of valid repetitions will be recorded. The outcome will be reported as the change from baseline to post-intervention.	Baseline and Week 10 (post-intervention)
Change in Flexibility (Sit-and-Reach test)	Flexibility will be assessed using the Sit-and-Reach test. Participants will reach forward while seated with legs extended, and the maximum distance reached beyond the toes will be recorded in centimeters (cm).	Baseline and Week 10 (post-intervention)
Change in Flexibility (Trunk Lift test)	Flexibility will be assessed using the Trunk Lift Test. Participants will lie prone and lift their upper body off the floor while maintaining a neutral head position. The vertical distance from the floor to the participant's chin will be measured in centimeters (cm).	Baseline and Week 10 (post-intervention)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Miami
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Arlette Perry, PhD, University of Miami

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): September 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 15, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 29, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): August 4, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 4, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 29, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavior; Motor Activity
• Other Study ID Numbers: 20260670

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No