Adding high-intensity interval training to a very low-carb diet doesn't make the belly fat reduction any better than just doing the diet alone in people with excess body fat.
Scientific Claim
Combining very low-carbohydrate high-fat diet with high-intensity interval training does not provide additional benefits for reducing visceral adipose tissue compared to the diet alone in overfat adults.
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design supports claim
Appropriate Language Strength
definitive
Can make definitive causal claims
Assessment Explanation
The RCT design with randomization and control group supports causal claims about the lack of additional benefit from combining HIIT with VLCHF diet for VAT reduction. The study clearly shows no significant difference between the two diet groups.
Source Excerpt
“The findings showed that VAT was significantly decreased in the VLCHF and VLCHF+HIIT groups. HIIT alone did not cause a substantial VAT decrease, nor did it show any significant changes in other body composition variables compared to the Control group. When HIIT was combined with the VLCHF diet, no extra VAT changes were revealed either.”
Evidence from Studies
Supporting Evidence (1)
The RCT design with four groups (VLCHF, HIIT, VLCHF+HIIT, control) shows no statistically significant difference in VAT reduction between VLCHF alone and VLCHF+HIIT groups. The study measured VAT using DXA with high reliability and found similar percentage reductions in both diet groups.