Effects of aerobic exercise teaching with different intensity on cardiopulmonary function and lower limb exercise biomechanical characteristics of college students
Abstract
Background: Smoking remains a significant public health concern, particularly affecting cardiopulmonary function through various pathophysiological mechanisms. While exercise is known to improve cardiopulmonary health, the optimal exercise intensity for enhancing cardiorespiratory adaptations, especially in the context of smoking status, remains unclear. Aim: This study investigated the differential effects of exercise intensity on cardiopulmonary adaptations and lower limb biomechanical functions among university students, considering smoking status as a potential moderating factor in physiological and biomechanical responses. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 120 university students, stratified by smoking status and randomly allocated to four groups: high-intensity interval training (HIIT, 85%–95% HRR), moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT, 65%–75% HRR), low-intensity continuous training (LICT, 45%–55% HRR), or control group. The 12-week intervention comprised three weekly sessions, with comprehensive assessment of cardiopulmonary parameters and biomechanical characteristics at baseline, week 6, and week 12. Results: The HIIT protocol elicited superior improvements in cardiopulmonary function, with a 29.6% increase in VO2max (p < 0.05, η2 = 0.78), compared to MICT (18.1%, p < 0.05) and LICT (9.7%, p < 0.05). These adaptations were consistent across smoking status categories, though smokers showed slightly attenuated responses. Heart rate variability parameters demonstrated enhanced autonomic regulation, particularly in the HIIT group (HF power increased 80.4%, p < 0.05), with smoking status moderating the magnitude of improvement. Conclusions: High-intensity interval training demonstrated superior efficacy in improving both cardiopulmonary and biomechanical parameters compared to moderate and low-intensity protocols, regardless of smoking status. These findings suggest that HIIT may be particularly beneficial for enhancing cardiorespiratory fitness in university students, though individual smoking status should be considered when prescribing exercise intensity. The implementation of structured HIIT programs in university physical education curricula may optimize physiological and biomechanical adaptations, potentially offering a time-efficient strategy for improving health outcomes in both smoking and non-smoking students.
References
1. Andrade DC, Arce-Alvarez A, Parada F, et al. Acute effects of high-intensity interval training session and endurance exercise on pulmonary function and cardiorespiratory coupling. Physiological Reports. 2020; 8(15). doi: 10.14814/phy2.14455
2. Anton MM, Cortez-Cooper MY, DeVan AE, et al. Cigarette smoking, regular exercise, and peripheral blood flow. Atherosclerosis. 2006; 185(1): 201–205. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2005.05.034
3. Arboleda-Serna VH, Feito Y, Patiño-Villada FA, et al. Effects of high-intensity interval training compared to moderate-intensity continuous training on maximal oxygen consumption and blood pressure in healthy men: A randomized controlled trial. Biomédica. 2019; 39(3): 524–536. doi: 10.7705/biomedica.4451
4. Astorino TA, Edmunds RM, Clark A, et al. High-Intensity Interval Training Increases Cardiac Output and V˙O2max. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2017; 49(2): 265–273. doi: 10.1249/mss.0000000000001099
5. Brent J. Tobacco or Health? Physiological and Social Damages Caused by Tobacco Smoking. JAMA. 2010; 304(21): 2419. doi: 10.1001/jama.2010.1746
6. Buist AS, Vollmer WM, Johnson LR, et al. Does the Single-Breath N2Test Identify the Smoker Who Will Develop Chronic Airflow Limitation? American Review of Respiratory Disease. 1988; 137(2): 293–301. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm/137.2.293
7. Cao M, Quan M, Zhuang J. Effect of High-Intensity Interval Training versus Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training on Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Children and Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2019; 16(9): 1533. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16091533
8. Chan KH, Wright N, Xiao D, et al. Tobacco smoking and risks of more than 470 diseases in China: A prospective cohort study. The Lancet Public Health. 2022; 7(12): e1014–e1026. doi: 10.1016/s2468-2667(22)00227-4
9. Chen CL, Tang JS, Li PC, Chou PL. Immediate effects of smoking on cardiorespiratory responses during dynamic exercise: Arm vs. Leg Ergometry. Frontiers in Physiology. 2015; 6: 376. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2015.00376
10. Dias KA, Ingul CB, Tjønna AE, et al. Effect of High-Intensity Interval Training on Fitness, Fat Mass and Cardiometabolic Biomarkers in Children with Obesity: A Randomised Controlled Trial. Sports Medicine. 2018; 48(3): 733–746. doi: 10.1007/s40279-017-0777-0
11. Ellingsen Ø, Halle M, Conraads V, et al. High-Intensity Interval Training in Patients With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction. Circulation. 2017; 135(9): 839–849. doi: 10.1161/circulationaha.116.022924
12. Gibala MJ, Gillen JB, Percival ME. Physiological and Health-Related Adaptations to Low-Volume Interval Training: Influences of Nutrition and Sex. Sports Medicine. 2014; 44(S2): 127–137. doi: 10.1007/s40279-014-0259-6
13. Gibbs K, Collaco JM, McGrath-Morrow SA. Impact of Tobacco Smoke and Nicotine Exposure on Lung Development. Chest. 2016; 149(2): 552–561. doi: 10.1378/chest.15-1858
14. Gomes Neto M, Durães AR, Conceição LSR, et al. High intensity interval training versus moderate intensity continuous training on exercise capacity and quality of life in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Cardiology. 2018; 261: 134–141. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2018.02.076
15. Gottdiener JS, Buzkova P, Kahn PA, et al. Relation of Cigarette Smoking and Heart Failure in Adults ≥65 Years of Age (From the Cardiovascular Health Study). The American Journal of Cardiology. 2022; 168: 90–98. doi: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2021.12.021
16. Heatherton TF, Kozlowski LT, Frecker RC, et al. The Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence: a revision of the Fagerstrom Tolerance Questionnaire. British Journal of Addiction. 1991; 86(9): 1119–1127. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.1991.tb01879.x
17. Ho CC, Lee PF, Xu S, et al. Associations between cigarette smoking status and health-related physical fitness performance in male Taiwanese adults. Frontiers in Public Health. 2022; 10. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.880572
18. Howley ET, Bassett DR, Welch HG. Criteria for maximal oxygen uptake. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 1995; 27(9): 1292–1301. doi: 10.1249/00005768-199509000-00009
19. Huang YC, Tsai HH, Fu TC, et al. High-Intensity Interval Training Improves Left Ventricular Contractile Function. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2019; 51(7): 1420–1428. doi: 10.1249/mss.0000000000001931
20. Kaufman AR, Twesten JE, Suls J, et al. Measuring Cigarette Smoking Risk Perceptions. Nicotine & Tobacco Research. 2019; 22(11): 1937-1945. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntz213
21. Chekhovskaya А. The impact of aerobics on the physical condition of students. Available online: http://enpuir.npu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/40263 (accessed on 10 December 2024).
22. Heidary D, Mehdipour A. The effect of 8 weeks of cardio kickboxing exercises on cardiorespiratory endurance body composition quality of life and sleep quality of male students living in dormitories. NASS. 2021; 2(4). doi: 10.22054/nass.2021.55961.1073
23. Wang Z, Ma H, Zhang W, et al. Effects of Functional Strength Training Combined with Aerobic Training on Body Composition, Physical Fitness, and Movement Quality in Obese Adolescents. Nutrients. 2024; 16(10): 1434. doi: 10.3390/nu16101434
24. Xiao L. Influence of Healthy Physical Fitness on the Teaching of Aerobics Course Based on Big Data Mining Technology. Algalil FA, ed. Applied Bionics and Biomechanics. 2021; 2021: 1–8. doi: 10.1155/2021/9755214
25. Zhou Y, Feng W, Zhang N, et al. Effects of different exercise interventions on cardiopulmonary function in male tobacco-dependent college students. Journal of Sports Sciences. 2024; 42(14): 1323–1330. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2024.2390303
Copyright (c) 2025 Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright on all articles published in this journal is retained by the author(s), while the author(s) grant the publisher as the original publisher to publish the article.
Articles published in this journal are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International, which means they can be shared, adapted and distributed provided that the original published version is cited.
Submit a Paper
