Very low carbohydrate high fat (VLCHF) diet and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) are widely utilized for weight reduction and cardiorespiratory fitness improvement, respectively. To assess the acceptability of these approaches, it is essential to examine mental health-related indicators. This secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial investigated the isolated and synergistic effects of VLCHF and HIIT on mental health-related indicators in individuals with excessive weight or obesity. Sixty-eight participants (age = 42 ± 10.2; 20-60 years; BMI = 29.8 ± 3.7) were analysed across four groups: HIIT (n = 15, 4 males, 11 females), VLCHF (n = 19, 4 males, 15 females), VLCHF + HIIT (n = 19, 4 males, 15 females), and control (n = 15, 4 males, 11 females). The 12-week intervention, involved VLCHF diet or HIIT sessions, depending on group affiliation and completing online questionnaires via Qualtrics software before and after the intervention. The questionnaires included the 12-item Short Form Survey (SF-12) for mental (MHS) and physical health scores (PHS), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Using the Kruskal-Wallis test, we found no significant differences in mental health-related indicators between groups after 12 weeks, except for SWLS (p = 0.031; ES = 0.133; medium), which improved significantly in the VLCHF + HIIT group compared to the HIIT group. Our findings indicate that HIIT and VLCHF, alone or combined, do not significantly affect mental health-related indicators.

Department of Applied Mathematics Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science VSB Technical University of Ostrava Ostrava Czech Republic

Department of Clinical and Health Psychology Faculty of Psychology University of Vienna Vienna Austria

Department of Human Movement Studies and Human Motion Diagnostic Centre The University of Ostrava Ostrava Czech Republic

Institute of Human Movement Science Sport and Health University of Graz Graz Austria

Zobrazit více v PubMed

Kamiński, M., Skonieczna-Żydecka, K., Nowak, J. K. & Stachowska, E. Global and local diet popularity rankings, their secular trends, and seasonal variation in Google Trends data. PubMed DOI

Basile, A. Popularity of commercial and non-commercial diets from 2010–2020: A Google trends analysis. DOI

Brehm, B. J., Seeley, R. J., Daniels, S. R. & D’Alessio, D. A. A randomized trial comparing a very low carbohydrate diet and a calorie-restricted low fat diet on body weight and cardiovascular risk factors in healthy women. PubMed DOI

Ludwig, D. S. et al. The carbohydrate-insulin model: a physiological perspective on the obesity pandemic. PubMed DOI PMC

Bueno, N. B., De Melo, I. S. V., De Oliveira, S. L. & Da Rocha Ataide, T. Very-low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet versus low-fat diet for long-term weight loss: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. PubMed

Ludwig, D. S. The ketogenic diet: Evidence for optimism but high-quality research needed. PubMed DOI PMC

Noakes, T. D. & Windt, J. Evidence that supports the prescription of low-carbohydrate high-fat diets: A narrative review. PubMed DOI

Newsome, A. M., Reed, R., Sansone, J., Batrakoulis, A., McAvoy, C. W. & Parrott, M. 2024 ACSM worldwide fitness trends: Future directions of the health and fitness industry.

Keating, S. E., Johnson, N. A., Mielke, G. I. & Coombes, J. S. A systematic review and meta-analysis of interval training versus moderate-intensity continuous training on body adiposity. PubMed DOI

Gunnarsson, T. P. & Bangsbo, J. The 10–20-30 training concept improves performance and health profile in moderately trained runners. PubMed DOI

Bangsbo, J., Gunnarsson, T. P., Wendell, J., Nybo, L. & Thomassen, M. Reduced volume and increased training intensity elevate muscle Na+ - K+ pump α2-subunit expression as well as short- and long-term work capacityin humans. PubMed DOI

Bayati, M., Farzad, B., Gharakhanlou, R. & Agha-alinejad, H. A practical model of low-volume high-intensity interval training induces performance and metabolic adaptations that resemble ‘ all-out ’ sprint interval training. PubMed PMC

Grace, F. et al. High intensity interval training (HIIT) improves resting blood pressure, metabolic ( MET ) capacity and heart rate reserve without compromising cardiac function in sedentary aging men. PubMed DOI

John, A. T. et al. Effectiveness of high-intensity interval training and continuous moderate-intensity training on blood pressure in physically inactive pre-hypertensive young adults. PubMed DOI PMC

Stavrinou, P. S., Bogdanis, G. C., Giannaki, C. D., Terzis, G. & Hadjicharalambous, M. High-intensity interval training frequency: Cardiometabolic effects and quality of life. PubMed DOI

Batrakoulis, A., Jamurtas, A. Z. & Fatouros, I. G. High-Intensity interval training in metabolic diseases. DOI

Batrakoulis, A. et al. Comparative efficacy of 5 exercise types on cardiometabolic health in overweight and obese adults: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of 81 randomized controlled trials. PubMed DOI

Hu, J., Wang, Z., Lei, B., Li, J. & Wang, R. Effects of a low-carbohydrate high-fat diet combined with high-intensity interval training on body composition and maximal oxygen uptake: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PubMed DOI PMC

Hu, T. & Bazzano, L. A. The low-carbohydrate diet and cardiovascular risk factors: Evidence from epidemiologic studies. PubMed DOI PMC

Donovan, G. O. et al. Changes in cardiorespiratory fitness and coronary heart disease risk factors following 24 wk of moderate- or high-intensity exercise of equal energy cost. PubMed DOI

Sawyer, A., Cavalheri, V. & Hill, K. Effects of high intensity interval training on exercise capacity in people with chronic pulmonary conditions: A narrative review. PubMed PMC

Cipryan, L. et al. Effects of a very low-carbohydrate high-fat diet and high-intensity interval training on visceral fat deposition and cardiorespiratory fitness in overfat individuals: A randomized controlled clinical trial. PubMed DOI PMC

World Health Organization.

Lasikiewicz, N., Myrissa, K., Hoyland, A. & Lawton, C. L. Psychological benefits of weight loss following behavioural and/or dietary weight loss interventions. A systematic research review. PubMed DOI

The Whoqol Group. The World Health Organization quality of life assessment (WHOQOL): Development and general psychometric properties. PubMed DOI

Sitlinger, A. & Zafar, S. Y. Health-related quality of life: The impact on morbidity and mortality. PubMed DOI PMC

Alhalel, N., Schueller, S. M. & O’Brien, M. J. Association of changes in mental health with weight loss during intensive lifestyle intervention: Does the timing matter?. PubMed DOI PMC

Shepherd, S. O., Wilson, O. J. & Taylor, A. S. et al. Low-volume high-intensity interval training in a gym setting improves cardio-metabolic and psychological health. PubMed PMC

Batrakoulis, A. & Fatouros, I. G. Psychological adaptations to high-intensity interval training in overweight and obese adults: A topical review. PubMed DOI PMC

Cipryan, L. et al. Very low-carbohydrate high-fat diet improves risk markers for cardiometabolic health more than exercise in men and women with overfat constitution: Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled clinical trial. PubMed DOI PMC

Cipryan, L. et al. A lipidomic and metabolomic signature of a very low-carbohydrate high-fat diet and high-intensity interval training: an additional analysis of a randomized controlled clinical trial. PubMed DOI PMC

Sindler, D., Kastovska, B., Dostal, T., Cipryan, L. & Elavsky, S. The effects of carbohydrate-restricted diet on psychological outcomes: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. PubMed DOI

Bashan, I. & Toros, T. Effect of regular exercise on the life satisfaction and self-efficacy of the elderly obese. DOI

Rosa Guillamón, A., García Cantó, E., Pérez Soto, J. J. & Rodríguez García, P. L. Weight status, physical fitness and satisfaction with life among elementary school children. A pilot study.

Zayed, K. N., Ahmed, M. D., Van Niekerk, R. L. & Ho, W. K. Y. The mediating role of exercise behaviour on satisfaction with life, mental well-being and BMI among university employees.

Wu, C. H., Chen, L. H. & Tsai, Y. M. Longitudinal invariance analysis of the satisfaction with life scale. DOI

Eather, N. et al. Efficacy and feasibility of HIIT training for university students: The Uni-HIIT RCT. PubMed DOI

Adams, S. C. et al. Effects of high-intensity interval training on fatigue and quality of life in testicular cancer survivors. PubMed DOI PMC

Batrakoulis, A. et al. High-intensity interval neuromuscular training promotes exercise behavioral regulation, adherence and weight loss in inactive obese women. PubMed DOI

Imayama, I. et al. Dietary weight loss and exercise interventions effects on quality of life in overweight/obese postmenopausal women: A randomized controlled trial. PubMed DOI PMC

Strahler, J., Wurst, R., Fuchs, R. & Wunsch, K. Joint associations of regular exercise and healthy diet with psychobiological stress reactivity in a healthy male sample. PubMed DOI

Cohen, C. W., Fontaine, K. R., Arend, R. C., Soleymani, T. & Gower, B. A. Favorable effects of a ketogenic diet on physical function, perceived energy, and food cravings in women with ovarian or endometrial cancer: A randomized, controlled trial. PubMed DOI PMC

Yancy, W. S. J. et al. Effects of two weight-loss diets on health-related quality of life. PubMed DOI

McCambridge, J., Witton, J. & Elbourne, D. R. Systematic review of the Hawthorne effect: New concepts are needed to study research participation effects. PubMed DOI PMC

French, D. P. & Sutton, S. Reactivity of measurement in health psychology: How much of a problem is it? What can be done about it?. PubMed DOI

König, L. M., Allmeta, A., Christlein, N., Van Emmenis, M. & Sutton, S. A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies of reactivity to digital in-the-moment measurement of health behaviour. PubMed DOI

Capellan, J., Wilde, M. H. & Zhang, F. Measurement reactivity in a randomized clinical trial using self-reported data. PubMed DOI PMC

French, D. P. et al. Reducing bias in trials due to reactions to measurement: experts produced recommendations informed by evidence. PubMed DOI PMC

Ehrman, J. K., Gordon, P. M., Visich, P. S. & Keteyian, S. J. eds.

Feinman, R. D. R. D. et al. Dietary carbohydrate restriction as the first approach in diabetes management: Critical review and evidence base. PubMed DOI

Ware, J. E. J., Kosinski, M. & Keller, S. D. A 12-item short-form health survey of scales and preliminary construction tests of reliability and validity. PubMed DOI

Ware, J. E. J., Kosinski, M. & Keller, S. D.

Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J. & Griffin, S. The satisfaction with life scale. PubMed DOI

Cohen, S., Kamarck, T. & Mermelstein, R. A global measure of perceived stress Sheldon Cohen, Tom Kamarck and Robin Mermelstein Journal of Health and Social Behavior Vol. 24, No. 4 (Dec., 1983), pp. 385–396 (12 pages) Published By: American Sociological Association. PubMed

Tomczak, M. & Tomczak, E. The need to report effect size estimates revisited. An overview of some recommended measures of effect size.