Effect of a high-intensity lifestyle intervention to reducardiometabolic markers: a quasi-experimental study

Objectives: High-intensity lifestyle interventions are effective, but their real-world effectiveness is limited, especially in resource-limited settings. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect and feasibility of implementing a high-intensity lifestyle intervention and its clinical outcomes in health workers at the Regional Hospital in Ayacucho. Materials and methods: A 90-day, pre-post, quasi-experimental study was conducted among overweight/obese health workers in a high Andean region of Peru. The high-intensity intervention combined diet, supervised high-intensity exercise training (HIIT), and a digital tracking component. Primary outcomes included weight loss, body mass index, waist circumference, and body fat percentage, whereas secondary outcomes included cardiometabolic markers and the retention/adherence rate to the intervention program. Results: Of 58 participants invited to the study, only 36 (62.1%), with a mean age of 42.1 (SD: 8.8) and 63.9% women, started the intervention. Participants who completed the program (n=13) demonstrated marked reductions in weight (7.32 kg), body mass index (3.09 kg/m2), waist circumference (9.05 cm), and body fat (4.56%). Furthermore, substantial improvements were observed in cardiometabolic blood markers (fasting glucose, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides); however, the retention rate was low (36.1%). Conclusions: Our high-intensity intervention appears to be an effective strategy for improving the cardiometabolic profile in overweight and obese individuals. However, a low retention rate underscores its limited applicability.