Are the Effects of High-Intensity Interval Exercise on Executive Function, Mental Health, and Mood Obesity Dependent?

ABSTRACT Introduction High-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) is considered a time-efficient intervention to improve physical health in individuals with obesity. However, data on psychological outcomes are sparse. This study aimed to analyze and compare the acute effects of HIIE on executive function and mental health in young men with and without obesity. Methods Ten men with obesity (OB) (age, 23.10 ± 3.31 yr; body mass index (BMI), 34.6 ± 4.4 kg·m −2 ) and 10 with normal weight (NW) (age, 23.50 ± 1.64 yr; BMI, 23.1 ± 3.9 kg·m −2 ) underwent a single HIIE session. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, immediately after (AHS), 2 h after (AHS + 2), and 24 h after (AHS + 24) the HIIE session. Results Interaction effects showed that executive function was impaired in the OB group, with an average increase in reaction time of 407.80 ms (95% confidence interval (CI), 76.62–738.98 ms; P = 0.01) at AHS compared to baseline. Time effects were found for anxiety and depression scores at AHS + 2 for both groups compared to baseline (−2.75; 95% CI, −5.42 to −0.08; P = 0.04), and for anxiety scores at AHS (−2.55; 95% CI, −4.42 to −0.68; P = 0.004). Interaction effects were found for vigor scores at AHS + 2, with a decrease in vigor in the OB group and an increase in the NW group ( P = 0.02). Conclusion Although anxiety and depression symptoms are improved 2 h after a HIIE session regardless of BMI category, individuals with obesity may present distinct results in executive function and vigor after a single HIIE bout.