The Study
Acute interval running induces greater excess post-exercise oxygen consumption and lipid oxidation than isocaloric continuous running in men with obesity
This study is like a fair race between two types of running: short bursts of fast running (HIIT) and steady, slower running (MICT). It shows that the fast bursts lead to more calories burned after exercise and more fat being used for energy in the 30 minutes afterward. But it only looked at what happens right after one workout, not whether people actually lose weight over time.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Scientists wanted to see if a short, intense run or a longer, easier run burns more fat after exercise in young men with obesity.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 554 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes, the difference means the body keeps burning more fat after intense exercise, which could help with weight loss over time.
- 2After a hard run, the body burned 66 kcal extra, used more fat for energy (38% vs 30%), and burned fat faster (1.01 vs 0.76 mg/kg/min) compared to an easier run that burned the same calories during exercise.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Scientific Reports
Year
2024
Authors
Lan Jiang, Yihong Zhang, Zhengzhen Wang, Yan Wang
Related Content
Claims (7)
After a short, high-intensity workout, the body continues to burn calories at a higher rate than at rest for several hours due to increased oxygen consumption.
When young guys with obesity do intense burst running, their bodies burn a bigger share of fat in the hours after the workout compared to when they do steady, moderate jogging—even if both workouts burn the same total calories.
For young guys with obesity, doing short bursts of intense running burns 300 calories faster than jogging steadily — about 8 minutes less effort for the same result.
When young guys with obesity do a tough workout with short bursts of fast running, their bodies burn more extra calories after the workout than if they jog steadily for the same total energy cost.
When young guys with obesity do intense burst running, their bodies burn more fat in the half-hour after the workout than when they jog steadily — even if both workouts burn the same number of calories.
Doing intense bursts of exercise with rest in between can keep your body burning more calories for up to a whole day after your workout.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.