Journal Pre-proof

Metabolic rate in sedentary adults, following different exercise training interventions:

THE FIT-AGEING randomized controlled trial

Francisco J. Amaro-Gahete, Alejandro De-la-O, Lucas Jurado-Fasoli, Guillermo

Sanchez-Delgado, Jonatan R. Ruiz, Manuel J. Castillo

PII: S0261-5614(20)30049-2
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2020.02.001
Reference: YCLNU 4152

To appear in: Clinical Nutrition

Received Date: 26 September 2019

Revised Date: 6 January 2020
Accepted Date: 1 February 2020

Please cite this article as: Amaro-Gahete FJ, De-la-O A, Jurado-Fasoli L, Sanchez-Delgado G, Ruiz JR,
Castillo MJ, Metabolic rate in sedentary adults, following different exercise training interventions: THE
FIT-AGEING randomized controlled trial, Clinical Nutrition, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2020.02.001.

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 1 Metabolic rate in sedentary adults, following different exercise training

2 interventions: THE FIT-AGEING randomized controlled trial.

3 Francisco J. Amaro-Gahete1,2*, Alejandro De-la-O1, Lucas Jurado-Fasoli1, Guillermo

4 Sanchez-Delgado2, Jonatan R. Ruiz2 & Manuel J. Castillo1.

1
5 EFFECTS-262 Research group, Departament of Medical Physiology. School of

6 Medicine. University of Granada. Spain. 2PROmoting FITness and Health through

7 physical activity research group (PROFITH), Sport and Health University Research

8 Institute (iMUDS), Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport

9 Sciences, University of Granada. Spain.

10 Contact info. *Francisco J. Amaro Gahete, Department of Physiology, School of

11 Medicine, University of Granada (Granada, Spain). E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: +34

12 958 242 754. ORCID: 0000-0002-7207-9016.

1
13 Abstract

14 Background & Aims: This study compares the influence of different exercise training

15 programs on basal metabolic rate (BMR) and fat oxidation, in basal conditions (BFox)

16 and during exercise (MFO), in sedentary, middle-aged adults.

17 Methods. The study subjects of this 12 week-long, randomised controlled trial, were 71

18 middle-aged adults (age 53.5±4.9 years; 52% women). Subjects were randomly

19 assigned to one of the following groups: (1) no exercise, (2) concurrent training based

20 on international physical activity recommendations (PAR group), (3) high intensity

21 interval training (HIIT group), and (4) high intensity interval training plus whole-body

22 electromyostimulation (HIIT+EMS group). Subject BMR, BFox and MFO were

23 determined by indirect calorimetry before and after the intervention.

24 Results. The HIIT+EMS subjects showed significant increases in BFox following the

25 intervention compared with the control group (all P=0.043); no such differences were

26 seen in the PAR and HIIT compared with the control group (all P≥0.1). A significant

27 increase in post-intervention MFO was noted for the HIIT and HIIT+EMS group

28 compared to the non-exercise control group (P<0.05); no such difference was seen in

29 the PAR group compared to the control group (all P≥0.05).

30 Conclusions. Twelve weeks of high intensity interval training plus whole-body

31 electromyostimulation may increase the BFox and MFO of middle-aged sedentary

32 adults. These findings have important clinical implications; a well-designed high-

33 intensity interval training program plus whole-body electromyostimulation might be

34 followed to help combat the appearance of chronic metabolic diseases characterized by

35 metabolic inflexibility in middle-aged sedentary adults, though it will be necessary to

36 determine how long the effects last.

2
37 Keywords: HIIT; WB-EMS; concurrent training; metabolic flexibility; energy

38 metabolism; energy expenditure.

3
39 INTRODUCTION

40 The basal metabolic rate (BMR) accounts for a large part (60-70%) of total energy

41 expenditure [1,2]. Under basal conditions, the human body derives more than half of its

42 energy from the oxidative metabolism of fatty acids; the remainder is mainly derived

43 from glucose [3]. The proportion and quantity of the different nutrients oxidised can be

44 estimated by indirect calorimetry and the use of stoichiometric equations [4].

45 Metabolic flexibility is defined as the ability to adapt energy requirements and fuel

46 oxidation to fuel availability and environmental demands [5]. The ability to increase fat

47 oxidation under basal conditions has traditionally been regarded a powerful indicator of

48 metabolic flexibility [6]. While metabolic flexibility has been amply studied under post-

49 fast, post-prandial, and hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic clamp conditions, its

50 relationship with exercise and training has been much less explored [5]. Maximal fat

51 oxidation during exercise (MFO) and the intensity of exercise that elicits MFO (Fatmax)

52 have been proposed key indicators of metabolic flexibility during exercise [5,7]. The

53 development of strategies (i.e., dietary or physical exercise interventions) aimed at

54 increasing metabolic flexibility may offer a means of combating excessive fat

55 accumulation and obesity. Physical exercise significantly increases (i) skeletal muscle

56 mitochondrial biogenesis [8], (ii) mitochondrial activity [8], and (iii) fatty acid

57 oxidation capacity [9,10], improving metabolic flexibility [5,8].

58 International physical activity guidelines suggest that 150-300 min/week of moderate-

59 vigorous physical activity combined with resistance training 2 days/week are enough to

60 obtain health benefits [11,12]. However, the lack of time in developed societies makes it

61 challenging to adhere to such recommendations. In general, <5% of the population may

62 undertake 30 min/day of objectively measurable physical activity [13,14]. Time-

63 efficient exercise training modalities have thus been developed, and low-volume high-
4
64 intensity interval training has been reported as good a stimulus - or even better - than

65 continuous moderate intensity training in terms of VO2max and body composition

66 [15,16]. Relatively little attention has been paid, however, to the influence of this type

67 of exercise on BMR and fat oxidation under either post-fast baseline conditions or

68 during exercise.

69 Whole-body electromyostimulation training (WB-EMS), a contemporary exercise

70 training methodology, combines simultaneous active and passive muscle contractions

71 via exercise and the electrical stimulation of skeletal muscle groups [17]. Several

72 studies have examined the effect of WB-EMS on physical fitness [18–22] and/or body

73 composition [20,23–28], and generally suggest it to be associated with an increase in

74 lean mass in sedentary and moderately trained young, middle-aged and elderly

75 individuals [20,23–28]. It is therefore plausible that such training could influence BMR

76 and fat oxidation in basal conditions or during exercise. To our knowledge, only one

77 study has studied the effects of a 14-week WB-EMS program on BMR in moderately-

78 trained post-menopausal women [20], with significant improvements in body

79 composition and muscular strength detected, but no significant increase in BMR [20]. It

80 remains unknown, however, whether these findings apply to sedentary individuals of

81 either sex. Moreover, there have been no studies comparing the effect of different

82 exercise training programs on BMR and fat oxidation in basal conditions or during

83 exercise in sedentary middle-aged adults.

84 The present study compares the influence of different exercise training programs - no

85 exercise, concurrent training based on international physical activity recommendations

86 [11,12], high intensity interval training, and high intensity interval training plus WB-

87 EMS- on BMR and fat oxidation in basal conditions and during exercise in sedentary

5
88 middle-aged adults. Moreover, we also studied the predictors of BMR and fat oxidation

89 changes in basal conditions and during exercise in sedentary middle-aged adults.

6
 90 MATERIAL AND METHODS

91 This manuscript adheres to the CONSORT statement for improving the reporting of

92 parallel group randomised trials (available at EQUATOR Network: http://www.equator-

93 network.org/reporting-guidelines/consort/; Supplementary Table S1) [29].

94 Setting and eligibility criteria

95 Eighty-nine sedentary, middle-aged adults (37 women) aged 40-65 years whose weight

96 was stable over the previous three months, were recruited to participate in the current

97 study (clinicaltrial.gov: ID: NCT03334357) [30]. 'Sedentary' was defined as performing

98 <20 min of moderate-intensity physical activity on 3 days/week over the previous three

99 months (self-reported). All subjects confirmed being free of cardiovascular disease,

100 diabetes mellitus, cancer, and any disease associated with exercise intolerance. This

101 study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Junta de

102 Andalucía [0838-N-2017] and complied with the latest revision of the Declaration of

103 Helsinki. All subjects provided their written informed consent to be included after

104 receiving detailed oral and written information on the study procedures.

105 Procedures

106 Social networks, local media and posters were used to recruit study subjects. Those

107 deemed potentially eligible were contacted by telephone or e-mail and invited to attend

108 an interview. The baseline examination involved two assessment days. On day 1, BMR

109 was assessed, followed by a graded exercise test to determine the MFO, and the

110 intensity that elicits MFO (Fatmax). On day 2 (between 3 and 5 days after day 1), a

111 maximum effort test was conducted to determine maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max).

112 Interventions

7
113 The present study was designed as a 12-week randomised controlled trial with parallel

114 groups. For practical and feasibility reasons it was conducted in two waves (September-

115 December 2016, and September-December 2017). After the baseline evaluation, the

116 participants were randomly allocated to one of four exercise programs using a

117 computer-generated simple randomisation procedure [31]: (1) no exercise (control

118 group), (2) concurrent training based on international physical activity

119 recommendations (PAR group), (3) high intensity interval training (HIIT group), and

120 (4) high intensity interval training plus WB-EMS (HIIT+EMS group). The exercise

121 training program descriptions adhere to the Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template

122 (CERT; Supplementary Table S2) [32], increasing the transparency and replicability of

123 this work. A methodological manuscript explaining all three exercise training programs

124 is available elsewhere [30].

125 Attendance at the training sessions (described below) was recorded daily; subjects who

126 missed a session were asked the reason for their absence and requested to make up for it

127 on another day in the same week. A minimum 90% attendance rate was deemed

128 necessary for valid data to be extracted. No home-based sessions were programmed.

129 Sessions were performed in groups of 2-6 subjects, allowing their safety to be

130 monitored and ensuring that all training volume and intensity requirements were met.

131 The exercise training sessions included a standardised warm-up and cooling-down

132 protocol (see methodological manuscript [30]).

133 The PAR subjects performed three sessions per week (i.e., 36 sessions in total) of

134 concurrent training. All completed 150 min per week at 60-65% of the heart rate reserve

135 in aerobic training, plus 60 min per week at 40-50% of the one-repetition maximum of

136 resistance training. The required aerobic training was performed in 10 min bouts using

137 different ergometers (treadmill, cycle-ergometer and elliptical ergometer). The required

8
138 resistance training included global strength training exercises (½ squat, Romanian

139 deadlift, bench press, and lateral pull-down, among other) using weight-bearing and

140 pneumatic machines. A recovery period of at least 48 h was allowed between the

141 exercise training sessions.

142 The HIIT subjects performed two sessions per week (i.e., 24 sessions in total) of two

143 high intensity interval training protocols, i.e., a long intervals protocol (LI) on day 1,

144 and a short intervals protocol (SI) on day 2 [33,34]. The training volume was set to 40-

145 65 min per week at an intensity of >95% VO2max in LI, and at a value of 6-9 on a

146 perceived exertion scale [35] in SI. The subjects walked on a personalised slope adapted

147 to the fixed intensity of the LI exercise training sessions, while a weight-bearing

148 training circuit (i.e., dead lift, horizontal row, high heels up, frontal plank, push up,

149 lateral plank, squat, and high knees up) was designed for the SI exercise training

150 sessions.

151 The HIIT+EMS subjects performed an exercise training program with the same

152 structure as the HIIT group, i.e., the same volume, intensity, frequency, type of exercise,

153 training load variation, training periodisation, and training sessions, but with the

154 inclusion of electrical impulses. Since the subjects had never been exposed to WB-

155 EMS, a progressive, gradual training period was designed requiring (i) rectangular,

156 bipolar, and symmetrical electric pulses at an intensity of ~100 mA in LI sessions, and

157 ~80 mA in SI sessions, (ii) a duty cycle of ~100% in LI sessions and ranging from 50 to

158 63% in SI sessions, (iii) an impulse width ranging from 200 to 400 µs, and (iv) a

159 frequency range of 15 to 20 Hz in LI sessions, and 35 - 75 Hz in SI sessions, using the

160 EMS device manufactured by Wiemspro® (Malaga, Spain).

161 Control group

9
162 The subjects assigned to the control group were provided with general advice on a

163 healthy lifestyle, including nutritional information and physical activity guidelines.

164 Outcome measures

165 BMR and fuel oxidation in basal conditions

166 BMR was measured in the morning after a 12 h overnight fast. The participants were

167 instructed to arrive at the laboratory in a motor vehicle to avoid exertion. The evening

168 meal of the previous day was standardised: an egg omelette plus boiled rice and tomato

169 purée. Subjects were asked to avoid any moderate or vigorous physical activity before

170 the test day for 24 h and 48 h respectively, and to sleep as usual. The assessments were

171 conducted in a quiet, mildly light room, with controlled environmental conditions

172 (temperature 22-24ºC, humidity 35-45%). Upon arrival, subjects were required to lie on

173 bed in a supine position for at least 30 min before starting the BMR test, which lasted

174 30 min [36,37] (Supplementary Figure S1). O2 consumption (VO2) and CO2 production

175 (VCO2) were measured by indirect calorimetry using an Ultima CardiO2 metabolic cart

176 (Medgraphics Corp, Minnesota, USA), and employing a neoprene face-mask without

177 external ventilation [38]. Prior to the beginning of BMR measurement, two standard gas

178 concentrations were used to calibrate the gas analyzer following the manufacturer's

179 recommendations. A 3 L calibration syringe was used to calibrate the turbine

180 ventilometer. Subjects were asked not to fidget, talk or sleep, and to breath normally.

181 For the calculation of the BMR, Breeze Suite software v.8.1.0.54 was used to average

182 the ventilatory variables every 1 min. The first 5 min-worth of data were discarded, and

183 the coefficients of variance (CV) for the VO2, VCO2, respiratory quotient (i.e.,

184 VCO2/VO2), and minute ventilation then determined for every 5 min period [36,37].

185 The periods that met the steady state criteria for the ventilatory outcomes (CV <10% for

10
186 VO2, CV <10% for VCO2, CV <5% for respiratory quotient, and CV <10% for minute

187 ventilation) were then selected, and the period with the lowest average CV for the VO2,

188 VCO2, respiratory quotient and minute ventilation chosen for further analysis [37].

189 Subjects with a respiratory quotient of <0.7 or >1.0 were excluded. BMR and fuel

190 oxidation (i.e., fat and carbohydrate oxidation) were calculated using the stoichiometry

191 equations of Weir [39] and Frayn [4] respectively. BMR was expressed in absolute term

192 (kcal/day) and relative to the lean mass (kcal/kgleanmass/day). Fat and carbohydrate

193 oxidation were expressed in absolute term (g/min) and as a percentage of BMR.

194 MFO and Fatmax

195 MFO and FATmax were assessed via a submaximal graded exercise test (Supplementary

196 Figure S1) using an H/P/Cosmos Pulsar treadmill (H/P/Cosmos Sports & Medical

197 GmbH, Nussdorf-Traunstein, Germany) [40,41]. After the determination of the

198 maximum walking speed, a warm-up at 3.5 km/h (gradient 0%) was allowed. The

199 treadmill speed was then increased by 1 km/h every 3 min until the maximum walking

200 speed was reached. The gradient was then increased by 2% every 3 min, keeping the

201 treadmill speed constant. The submaximal graded exercise test finished when a

202 respiratory quotient of >1.0 was reached [42]. VO2 and VCO2 were obtained by indirect

203 calorimetry throughout the exercise, using an Ultima CardiO2 metabolic cart

204 (Medgraphics Corp, Minnesota, USA), calibrated as explained above, and employing a

205 Model 7400 face mask (Hans Rudolph Inc, Kansas City, MO, USA), equipped with a

206 prevent™ metabolic flow sensor (Medgraphics Corp, Minnesota, USA) for gas data

207 collection. Breeze Suite software v.8.1.0.54 was used to average the ventilatory

208 variables every 10 s. Fat oxidation data was estimated from the VO2 and VCO2 values

209 averaged over the final 1 min of each 3 min stage [43] using the Frayn stoichiometric

210 equation, assuming urinary nitrogen excretion to be negligible [4]. To estimate the

11
211 MFO and Fatmax for each subject, a third-degree polynomial regression curve was

212 constructed with an intersection at 0;0, plotting the fat oxidation data obtained in the

213 submaximal graded exercise test against the relative exercise intensity (expressed as a

214 percentage of VO2max) [43]. MFO was expressed in absolute term (g/min) and relative

215 to the lean mass (mg/kgleanmass/min).

216 Anthropometry and body composition

217 Weight (kg) and height (cm) were measured using a Seca Model 799 electronic scale

218 and stadiometer (Seca, Hamburg, Germany). The body mass index (BMI) was

219 determined as weight (kg)/height (m)2. Body composition was assessed using a

220 Discovery Wi dual-energy X-ray absorptiometer (Hologic, Inc., Bedford, MA, USA),

221 obtaining fat mass and lean mass following the manufacturer's recommendations.

222 VO2max

223 VO2max was determined on a separate day via a maximum effort test following a

224 modified version of the Balke protocol [44]. VO2 and VCO2 were also measured via

225 indirect calorimetry, gathering data as for MFO and Fatmax testing (see above).

226 Data for a number of blood analytical variables, physical activity, sedentary time, and

227 dietary intakes were also collected (see Supplementary Methods).

228 Statistical analysis

229 The normal distribution of the main variables was confirmed by histograms and Q-Q

230 plots. We based the sample size calculations on a minimum predicted change in MFO of

231 0.05 g/min between the intervention groups and the control group, and an SD for this

232 change of 0.05 g/min, based on a pilot study. A sample size of 17 participants was

233 predicted to provide a statistical power of 80%, considering a type I error of 0.05.

12
234 Assuming a maximum loss of 25% at follow-up, we decided to recruit at least 20

235 participants for each group. Descriptive characteristics are presented as means ±

236 standard deviations. Differences in baseline characteristics between the different groups

237 were evaluated with analysis of variance (ANOVA). Given the aim of assessing the

238 efficacy of the exercise training interventions with respect to the outcome variables,

239 primary analysis was performed per-protocol, including only those subjects who

240 completed the exercise training programs and the post-test evaluation. A sensitivity

241 analysis (baseline observation carried forward [BOCF] imputation) was performed to

242 check the robustness of the results (Supplementary Figures S2 and S3).

243 Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was performed to compare the changes in the BMR

244 (e.g., post-BMR minus pre-BMR [dependent variable]) between groups (fixed factor),

245 adjusting for the post-fast baseline values. Similar analyses were performed for changes

246 in basal fat oxidation, basal carbohydrate oxidation, MFO, and Fatmax. Bonferroni post

247 hoc adjustment for multiple comparisons was used to examine the changes between all

248 exercise types. The same analyses were also conducted controlling for confounders

249 (age, and sex).

250 Simple and multiple linear regression was used to study the relationships between

251 changes in body composition, blood variables, physical activity and sedentary time

252 variables, dietary intake and macronutrient distribution, and VO2max, with changes in

253 BMR, basal fat oxidation, and MFO, adjusting for age and sex.

254 All calculations were made using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences v.22.0,

255 (IBM Corporation, Chicago, IL, USA). Graphs were plotted using GraphPad Prism 5

256 (GraphPad Software, San Diego, CA, USA). Significance was set at P<0.05.

13
257 RESULTS

258 Figure 1 shows the trial flowchart. No adverse events were recorded during the exercise

259 sessions. No significant difference between the groups was detected for any variable at

260 baseline (all P≥0.068, Table 1).

261 Figure 2 shows the changes in BMR and basal fat oxidation at the end of the

262 intervention. ANCOVA, adjusting for baseline values, revealed no significant

263 differences between groups in terms of the change in BMR, nor in terms of the change

264 in basal fat and carbohydrate oxidation (all P≥0.140, Figure 2A, 2B, 2C, and

265 Supplementary Figure S4). However, a strong trend towards significance was seen

266 between groups with respect to the change in basal fat oxidation when expressed as

267 %BMR (P=0.059). Bonferroni post-hoc correction revealed a significant increase in

268 basal fat oxidation in the HIIT+EMS group compared to the control group (+7.0±4.7 vs.

269 -6.5±5.4 % of the BMR, P=0.043, Figure 2D), and a near-significant trend in the change

270 in BMR was noted in the HIIT+EMS group compared to the control group (140.0±45.5

271 vs. -35.5±77.1 kcal/day, P=0.087, Figure 2A). These results were consistent across

272 sensitivity analyses (Supplementary Figure S2, and Figure S3). All findings persisted

273 after controlling for sex and age (Supplementary Table S3).

274 Figure 3 shows the changes in MFO (∆MFO), and Fatmax at the end of the intervention

275 period. ANCOVA, adjusting for baseline values, revealed significant differences

276 between groups in terms of ∆MFO (P=0.034, Figure 3A), whereas no significant

277 differences were detected in ∆MFO when expressed relative to lean mass or Fatmax (all

278 P≥0.5, Figure 3B). Bonferroni post hoc correction indicated the MFO to be significantly

279 increased in the HIIT and HIIT+EMS groups compared to the control group

280 (+0.03±0.02 and +0.05±0.02 vs. -0.01±0.02 g/min, P=0.033 and P=0.002, respectively,

281 Figure 3A). All of these findings persisted after controlling for sex and age
14
282 (Supplementary Table S3), and all results were consistent across sensitivity analyses

283 (Supplementary Figure S2).

284 No significant associations were observed between changes in body composition

285 variables, blood parameters, physical activity and sedentary time, dietary intake or

286 VO2max, and changes in BMR (all P≥0.05, Table 2). However, an association

287 approaching significance was noted between changes in energy intake and changes in

288 BMR (β=-0.076, R2=0.074, P=0.051; Table 2), which remained after controlling for age

289 and sex. Significant associations were found between the changes in fat mass and lean

290 mass, and changes in basal fat oxidation (β=-0.002, R2=0.163, P=0.003 and β=0.002,

291 R2=0.139, P=0.007, respectively; Table 3), which persisted after including sex and age

292 in the models. Significant associations were noted between ∆VO2max (both in terms of

293 absolute values and when expressed relative to body weight) and ∆MFO (β=-0.470,

294 R2=0.221, P<0.001 and β=0.006, R2=0.197, P=0.001, respectively), which remained

295 after adjusting for sex and age.

15
296 DISCUSSION

297 The main findings of this study are that a 12 week-long, high intensity interval program

298 plus EMS may induce significant improvements in basal fat oxidation and MFO, in

299 middle-aged sedentary adults. No significant improvements were seen in basal fat

300 oxidation when following a structured concurrent training program or a high intensity

301 interval training program without WB-EMS, whereas a HIIT intervention also improved

302 MFO compared with a non-exercise control group. It should be noted that the changes

303 in MFO were dependent on changes in lean mass, whereas changes in basal fat

304 oxidation were independent of this variable. These findings have important clinical

305 implications; they suggest that a well-designed, high-intensity interval training program

306 plus WB-EMS could help combat the appearance of chronic metabolic diseases

307 characterized by metabolic inflexibility in middle-aged sedentary adults.

308 Effects of exercise training on BMR

309 The influence of aerobic and resistance training on BMR has been investigated in

310 individuals with different biological characteristics, but conflicting results have been

311 reported. While some authors report a significant increase in BMR (3-10%) [45–53],

312 others indicate it to remain unchanged after an aerobic exercise training program [54–

313 59]. Only a few studies have investigated their combined effects (i.e., concurrent

314 training), with a significant increase in BMR reported after a 10-week concurrent

315 training program in physically active men [60], but no change in BMR after a 20-week

316 concurrent training program in sedentary middle-aged women [61] (this latter result

317 partially agrees with the present findings).

318 Earlier studies investigating the effect of high intensity interval training on BMR in

319 healthy adults aged 18-50 years suggested significant improvements (~4%) [54,62].

16
320 Although in the present study no significant difference was seen in BMR between the

321 HIIT and the control groups after the intervention, a non-significant increase of about

322 3% was seen (the same magnitude as reported by the above-mentioned studies [60,61]).

323 There is little literature on the influence of WB-EMS training on BMR. To our

324 knowledge, only one study has evaluated the effects of a 14 week WB-EMS training

325 program on BMR in moderately-trained post-menopausal women [20]. This study

326 reported significant improvements in body composition and muscular strength, but no

327 significant change in BMR [20]. These results may not entirely agree with those of the

328 present work, in which an almost significant increase in BMR was seen in the

329 HIIT+EMS group.

330 When BMR was expressed relative to lean mass, no exercise-related changes were

331 observed in any intervention group. The increase lean mass seen in response to exercise

332 might therefore explain the increase in BMR, which supports the notion that lean mass

333 is an important determinant of BMR (after all, it represents highly metabolically active

334 tissue) [63,64]. Simple regression was performed to evaluate if changes in lean mass

335 were related to changes in BMR, and a significant positive association was obtained

336 after adjusting for sex (P=0.041). The change in lean mass explained ~10% of the

337 change in BMR, which agrees with the results of Schubert et al. [62], although Blundell

338 et al. [63] reported the change in lean mass to explain ~25% of the change in BMR.

339 Others factors have been described that might explain the increase in BMR after an

340 exercise training program, including (i) the upregulation of growth hormone, thyroid

341 hormone, and catecholamines, (ii) an increase in substrate flux activity and enzymatic

342 reactions, and (iii) increased protein synthesis [46,49,60]. Further investigations are

343 needed to determine the signalling molecules and physiological pathways that induce

344 the changes in BMR after following an exercise program for several weeks.
17
345 Effects of exercise training on basal fat oxidation

346 Although the influence of different exercise training modalities on BMR has been

347 examined in different cohorts, their effects on basal substrate metabolism have received

348 considerably less attention. Some studies have suggested there to be a significant

349 increase in basal fat oxidation after following an aerobic exercise training program [65–

350 67], whereas others report no effect at all [49,51,68–70]. Some earlier studies have

351 reported no significant change to occur in basal fat oxidation in response to a high

352 intensity interval training program in individuals of different BMI [62,71,72]; this

353 agrees with the present results.

354 To our knowledge, this is the first study to show basal fat oxidation to increase in

355 response to a 12-week high intensity interval training program plus WB-EMS. These

356 improvements might be explained by: (i) the optimization of mitochondrial function and

357 activity, promoting fatty-acid availability and metabolism [5], (ii) an increase in the

358 amount and sensitivity of hormone-sensitive lipase, which improves the mobilisation of

359 plasma fatty-acids [73], and (iii) an improvement in insulin sensitivity [5,8].

360 The present findings indicate changes in lean mass to be positively associated with

361 changes in basal fat oxidation, whereas changes in fat mass are negatively associated

362 with changes in basal fat oxidation. Since changes in lean mass and fat mass might be

363 modulated by the above-mentioned mechanisms, it seems plausible that these changes

364 may explain the observed changes in basal fat oxidation. However, no improvement in

365 basal fat oxidation was seen for the PAR and HIIT groups, for reasons still unknown. It

366 might be that WB-EMS induces a larger number of muscle contractions than possible in

367 these other exercise training programs. The exercise-derived molecules associated with

368 skeletal muscle contraction (such as different myokines) might act as energy

369 metabolism regulators [73]. This needs to be examined in future studies.

18
370 Effects of exercise training on MFO

371 Many studies have investigated which biological and physiological factors determine

372 MFO, with lean mass, VO2max, physical activity levels and sex proposed to explain

373 around a third of MFO [74–76]. Several variables closely related to exercise training

374 therefore seem to strongly influence MFO. However, longitudinal studies have returned

375 conflicting results indicating no change in MFO after either 4 weeks of continual low-

376 intensity aerobic training or 4 weeks of interval training in middle-aged adults with

377 obesity [74], but a sustained increase in MFO in middle-aged untrained adults after 12-

378 months of aerobic training of moderate intensity [77] and in young sedentary

379 overweight men after 12-weeks of aerobic training at moderate-vigorous intensity [76].

380 Although no significant differences were seen in MFO between the present PAR group

381 (which involved a considerable dose of aerobic training) and the control group, a

382 clinically important improvement in MFO was recorded in the PAR group of nearly the

383 same magnitude (~7%) as reported in the above studies.

384 The influence of high intensity interval training on MFO has also received some

385 attention in recent years. Burgomaster et al. [78] observed a significant increase in MFO

386 after a 6-week sprint interval training in young adults, while Talanian et al. [79] and

387 Perry et al. [80] reported the same after 2 weeks of high intensity interval training in

388 recreationally active women, and after 6 weeks of high intensity interval training in

389 sedentary adults, respectively. These results agree with those obtained in the present

390 work, in which similar changes in MFO were seen (~9%). However, a recent study by

391 Astorino et al. [81] indicated no significant change in MFO in response to 20 sessions

392 of high intensity interval training in middle-aged active adults. These contradictory

393 findings might be explained in that Astorino et al. [81] included active adults in their

394 study (although other methodological differences may be important [82]), while

19
395 sedentary middle-aged adults were recruited in the present work. A significant, positive

396 association was seen between ∆VO2max and ∆MFO, which is in agreement with the

397 results of previous studies [75]. However, no significant association was noted between

398 changes in any physiological variable related to MFO (lean mass, physical activity

399 levels or dietary intake) and ∆MFO, which partially agrees with the findings of Astorino

400 et al. (2018) [81].

401 To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report a significant increase in

402 MFO after 12 weeks of high intensity interval training plus WB-EMS (compared to a

403 non-exercise control group). Although no significant differences were seen between the

404 HIIT group and the HIIT+EMS group results, the ∆MFO in both exercise programs was

405 clinically different (~9% and ~15%). Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed

406 to confirm these findings. Interestingly, when MFO was expressed relative to lean mass,

407 no exercise-related changes were observed in any intervention group. This might mean

408 that the increase in lean mass in response to exercise explains the increase in MFO. In

409 fact, a positive association was observed between changes in lean mass and ∆MFO.

410 It has previously been reported that exercise training induces changes in both the

411 epigenome, transcriptome and proteome, promoting better fuel storage and fuel

412 oxidation in a wide range of physiological situations, thus improving metabolic

413 flexibility during exercise [5]. These exercise-related improvements in metabolism have

414 been ascribed to a larger mitochondrial enzyme content and increased mitochondrial

415 activity [9,83]. Mitochondrial enzymes were not assessed in the current study, but based

416 on the above-mentioned physiological adaptations, an increase in exercise-induced

417 capillarisation, blood flow, and skeletal muscle proteins (e.g., UCP3) might be

418 responsible for the change in MFO [76,84]. This hypothesis should be investigated in

419 future work.

20
420 Methodological issues related to exercise-related changes in the BMR, basal fat

421 oxidation and MFO

422 The literature on the effects of exercise on BMR and fuel oxidation in basal conditions

423 and during exercise contains conflicting findings. Some studies attribute these

424 heterogeneous results to biological factors such as age, sex, health status or ethnicity,

425 among others [62,76], or even to exercise training program-related factors such as

426 modality, duration, volume or intensity [49,79,81]. However, considerably less attention

427 has been paid to the methodological differences associated with the indirect calorimetry

428 test, and in the selection and analysis of data for determining the BMR and fuel

429 oxidation. For example, published reports have involved different metabolic carts (e.g.,

430 ParvoMedics TrueOne 2400 [Salt Lake City, Utah, USA] and the Oxycon Pro [Jaeger,

431 Wurzburg, Germany]), and different stoichiometric equations have been used to

432 estimate fuel oxidation (e.g., the Frayn equation [4] and the Jeukendrup equation [42])

433 to determine the effects of exercise on BMR, basal fat oxidation and MFO

434 [61,62,74,81]. Further, when determining BMR and basal fuel oxidation, the length of

435 time over which subjects performed no physical activity and refrained from eating has

436 differed, and even the data recording times have been different (30 min in some cases,

437 through to long enough to achieve a steady state) [20,37,49,54,60]. Finally, different

438 ergometer types have been used in different studies examining the effect of exercise

439 training on MFO (e.g., walking or running on a treadmill vs. a cycle ergometer), as have

440 different graded exercise protocols (e.g., different stage durations, different alterations

441 in exercise intensities), the time interval for data selection and analysis (e.g., the last 60

442 s vs. the last 120 s of each stage), and data analysis techniques for estimating the MFO

443 and Fatmax (e.g., measured-values vs. polynomial curves)[74,76,79,80,85]. All of these

444 factors could influence the BMR, basal fuel oxidation, and MFO results obtained.

21
445 When comparing different intervention studies, it is important to check whether the

446 methodological details are different.

447 The present work suffers from a number of limitations. Although a sample size

448 calculation was performed (based on the results of a pilot study), the standard deviation

449 around the mean of the dependent variables was greater than expected, raising some

450 concern that the study may have been underpowered for detecting differences in BMR,

451 fat oxidation under basal conditions, and in MFO, between the different training

452 programs. The study subjects were all middle-aged sedentary adults; the results cannot,

453 therefore, be extrapolated to physically active, older, or younger individuals. In

454 addition, the calculations of basal fat and carbohydrate oxidation were performed

455 through VO2 and VCO2 data and not including nitrogen excretion, thus these results

456 should be taken with caution. Finally, since the regression analyses were conducted

457 using data from the three different exercise training interventions (given the small sizes

458 of the groups), it cannot be known whether the associations that exist within any one

459 treatment group are the same as those that exist in any other.

460 In conclusion, the present results suggest that a 12 week-long, high intensity interval

461 training program plus WB-EMS may improve basal fat oxidation and MFO in middle-

462 aged sedentary adults. Moreover, these improvements were clinically superior to those

463 induced by a 12 week-long high intensity interval training without WB-EMS, and a 12-

464 week concurrent training program that followed international physical activity

465 guidelines for sedentary, middle-aged adults. It should be noted that the changes in

466 MFO in response to the exercise interventions were dependent on the change in lean

467 mass, whereas the change in basal fat oxidation was independent of changes in lean

468 mass. A well-designed, monitored, high-intensity interval training program plus WB-

22
469 EMS might provide a good means of combating the appearance of chronic metabolic

470 diseases characterised by metabolic inflexibility in middle-aged sedentary adults.

23
Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Adrian Burton for language and editing assistance and to Ángel Gutiérrez

for his scientific discussion. This study was part of a Ph.D. thesis conducted at the University

of Granada, Spain. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Competing Interests

The authors declare no competing financial interests

Authors' contributions. FAG, AOP, and MJC conceived and designed the research; FAG,

AOP and LJF conducted the experiments; FAG, GSD and JRR analysed the data; FAG wrote

the manuscript. All authors have read, edited, and approved the manuscript.

Funding sources. The study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education

(FPU14/04172 and FPU15/03960), by the University of Granada Plan Propio de

Investigación 2016 (Excellence actions: Unit of Excellence on Exercise and Health [UCEES])

and Plan Propio de Investigación 2019-Programa Contratos-Puente, by the Junta de

Andalucía, Consejería de Conocimiento, Investigación y Universidades, by the European

Regional Development Fund (ERDF), ref. SOMM17/6107/UGR and by Redes Temáticas de

Investigación Cooperativa RETIC grant Red SAMID RD16/0022.

24
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37
TABLE LEGENDS

Table 1. Baseline descriptive characteristics of the study subjects included in the per-

protocol analysis.

Table 2. Relationship of the changes in body composition, blood variables, physical

activity and sedentary time, dietary intake, and cardiorespiratory fitness, with the change

in basal fat oxidation.

Table 3. Relationship of the changes in body composition, blood variables, physical

activity and sedentary time, dietary intake, and cardiorespiratory fitness, with the change

in maximal fat oxidation.

FIGURE LEGENDS

Figure 1: Recruitment and analysis flow-chart. Abbreviations: BMI body mass index,

CDV cardiovascular, ECG electrocardiogram, PAR physical activity recommendations

group, HIIT high intensity interval training group, HIIT+EMS whole-body

electromyostimulation group, BOCF baseline observation carried forward imputation.

Figure 2. Changes in basal metabolic rate (BMR) (in absolute term and relative to lean

mass), and basal fat oxidation (in absolute term and expressed as %BMR), after the

intervention. ¥ P<0.05, ANCOVA adjusting for baseline values, with post hoc Bonferroni-

corrected t test results. Data are shown as means ± standard deviations. Abbreviations:

PAR physical activity recommendations group, HIIT high intensity interval training group,

HIIT+EMS whole-body electromyostimulation group.

Figure 3. Changes in maximal fat oxidation (MFO) in absolute terms and relative to the

lean mass, and the intensity that of exercise that elicited the MFO (Fatmax) after the

intervention. ¥ P<0.05, ¥ ¥ P<0.01, ANCOVA adjusting for baseline values, with post hoc

38
Bonferroni-corrected t test results. The data are shown as means ± standard deviations.

Abbreviations: PAR physical activity recommendations group, HIIT high intensity interval

training group, HIIT+EMS whole-body electromyostimulation group.

39
Table 1. Baseline descriptive characteristics of the study subjects included in the per-protocol analysis.

All Control PAR HIIT HIIT+EMS

P value
(n=71) (n=17) (n=17) (n=18) (n=19)
Age (years) 53.4 (4.9) 52.1 (4.1) 54.9 (4.5) 53.1 (5.6) 53.5 (5.3) 0.414
Sex (%)
Men 34 (47.9) 7 (41.2) 8 (47.1) 9 (50) 10 (52.6)
0.921
Women 37 (52.1) 10 (58.8) 9 (52.9) 9 (50) 9 (47.4)
Body composition
Weight (kg) 76.34 (14.95) 73.79 (13.81) 72.64 (11.26) 78.17 (17.71) 80.21 (15.90) 0.387
Height (cm) 168.2 (9.7) 166.0 (8.8) 168.9 (9.4) 170.8 (11.5) 167.2 (9.1) 0.491
Body mass index (kg/m2) 26.82 (3.79) 26.67 (3.71) 25.41 (2.86) 26.43 (3.15) 28.60 (4.64) 0.077
Fat mass (kg) 30.15 (8.39) 28.64 (6.85) 26.83 (6.31) 31.42 (8.30) 33.27 (10.36) 0.786
Lean mass (kg) 43.92 (11.59) 42.92 (12.06) 43.60 (10.77) 44.43 (13.52) 44.60 (10.76) 0.972
Blood variables
Plasma glucose (mg/dL) 93.56 (11.36) 93.47 (10.82) 93.35 (11.63) 90.06 (5.56) 96.95 (14.80) 0.352
Plasma insulin (uUI/mL) 8.08 (5.68) 7.26 (5.05) 7.52 (3.97) 7.09 (4.51) 10.22 (7.88) 0.296
HOMA index 1.93 (1.67) 1.73 (1.37) 1.75 (0.99) 1.59 (1.05) 2.59 (2.55) 0.255
Physical activity and sedentary time
Sedentary time (min/day) 746.93 (84.34) 751.19 (68.78) 736.02 (104.87) 763.77 (82.10) 737.79 (82.53) 0.754
LPA (min/day) 173.24 (45.15) 167.89 (37.21) 177.04 (59.55) 164.01 (43.06) 182.88 (39.56) 0.595
MPA (min/day) 94.22 (35.07) 88.01 (28.90) 95.66 (44.65) 89.55 (33.61) 102.66 (32.58) 0.589
VPA (min/day) 1.70 (2.24) 1.52 (1.67) 1.19 (1.14) 2.23 (3.55) 1.86 (1.97) 0.574
MVPA (min/day) 95.92 (35.62) 89.52 (29.11) 96.85 (45.30) 91.78 (34.13) 104.51 (33.42) 0.603
TPA 35.92 (8.83) 34.59 (7.35) 35.91 (10.95) 35.20 (8.84) 37.77 (8.31) 0.730
Dietary intake
Energy (kcal/day) 2141 (699) 2079 (496) 2288 (1152) 2149 (514) 2054 (455) 0.767
Fat (g/day) 37.55 (6.90) 37.09 (9.20) 37.31 (8.03) 36.32 (5.93) 39.32 (4.08) 0.601
Protein (g/day) 47.14 (8.19) 49.82 (10.41) 47.85 (8.45) 47.17 (6.00) 44.21 (7.30) 0.236
Carbohydrate (g/day) 18.64 (4.91) 16.94 (4.35) 19.23 (6.84) 19.36 (4.90) 18.84 (2.97) 0.467
Energy metabolism
BMR (kcal/day) 1508 (364) 1469 (375) 1441 (369) 1607 (415) 1511 (303) 0.562
Basal fat oxidation (g/min) 0.05 (0.04) 0.05 (0.04) 0.05 (0.04) 0.06 (0.05) 0.05 (0.03) 0.936
Basal fat oxidation (% BMR) 45.6 (30.0) 44.8 (30.0) 49.1 (34.8) 45.3 (34.6) 43.5 (22.9) 0.957
Basal carbohydrate oxidation (g/min) 0.11 (0.10) 0.11 (0.10) 0.10 (0.11) 0.12 (0.11) 0.11 (0.08) 0.942
Basal carbohydrate oxidation (% BMR) 41.8 (31.7) 41.5 (31.7) 38.9 (35.2) 43.8 (35.6) 42.7 (26.5) 0.973
MFO (g/min) 0.29 (0.09) 0.25 (0.06) 0.28 (0.07) 0.33 (0.12) 0.29 (0.09) 0.068
MFO (mg/kgleanmass/min) 6.78 (1.57) 5.59 (1.35) 6.77 (1.45) 7.46 (1.77) 6.77 (1.32) 0.094
Fatmax (% VO2max) 43.01 (10.45) 41.51 (12.62) 44.27 (13.10) 42.88 (8.54) 43.35 (7.60) 0.896
Cardiorespiratory fitness
VO2max (ml/min) 2339.2 (657.2) 2163.4 (626.0) 2320.4 (649.7) 2461.8 (709.1) 2397.1 (658.3) 0.580
VO2max (ml/kg/min) 30.49 (5.58) 28.99 (4.96) 31.64 (6.12) 31.59 (6.22) 29.74 (4.90) 0.399
Data are shown as means ± standard deviation. Abbreviations: PAR physical activity recommendations group, HIIT high intensity interval training group, HIIT+EMS who
body electromyostimulation group, LPA light physical activity, MPA moderate physical activity, VPA vigorous physical activity, MVPA moderate-vigorous physical activ
TPA total physical activity, MFO maximal fat oxidation, Fatmax intensity of exercise that elicits MFO, BMR basal metabolic rate VO2max maximum oxygen uptake.
Table 2. Relationship of the changes in body composition, blood variables, physical activity and sedentary time, dietary intake, and cardiorespiratory
fitness, with the change in basal fat oxidation.
Model 1 Model 2 Model 3
β R2 P value β R2 P value β R2 P value
Changes in body composition
Weight (kg) -0.003 0.027 0.237 -0.003 0.027 0.251 -0.003 0.032 0.216
2
Body mass index (kg/m ) -0.007 0.022 0.287 -0.007 0.022 0.305 -0.008 0.027 0.256
Fat mass (kg) -0.002 0.163 0.003 -0.002 0.164 0.004 -0.002 0.164 0.004
Lean mass (kg) 0.002 0.139 0.007 0.002 0.140 0.008 0.002 0.143 0.008
Changes in blood variables
Plasma glucose (mg/dL) -0.001 0.022 0.304 -0.001 0.022 0.306 -0.001 0.027 0.321
Plasma insulin (uUI/mL) -0.001 0.005 0.632 -0.001 0.005 0.637 -0.001 0.009 0.721
HOMA index -0.005 0.016 0.380 -0.005 0.016 0.386 -0.004 0.019 0.442
Changes in physical activity and sedentary time
Sedentary time (min/day) 0.001 0.007 0.353 0.001 0.009 0.799 0.001 0.013 0.593
LPA (min/day) 0.211 0.044 0.151 0.210 0.044 0.158 0.220 0.055 0.137
MPA (min/day) 0.267 0.072 0.066 0.267 0.072 0.070 0.267 0.078 0.069
VPA (min/day) 0.148 0.022 0.315 0.151 0.023 0.312 0.145 0.028 0.331
MVPA (min/day) 0.268 0.072 0.066 0.267 0.072 0.070 0.267 0.078 0.069
TPA 0.292 0.085 0.064 0.292 0.085 0.067 0.294 0.093 0.054
Changes in dietary intake
Energy intake (kcal/day) 0.038 0.001 0.788 0.041 0.003 0.773 0.033 0.002 0.231
Fat (% of energy intake) 0.260 0.067 0.066 0.259 0.067 0.069 0.260 0.067 0.075
Protein (% of energy intake) 0.131 0.017 0.359 0.136 0.018 0.351 0.152 0.025 0.304
Carbohydrate (% of energy intake) -0.058 0.007 0.551 -0.092 0.008 0.534 -0.089 0.011 0.539
Changes in cardiorespiratory fitness
VO2max (ml/min) 0.157 0.025 0.262 0.155 0.025 0.274 0.157 0.025 0.279
VO2max (ml/kg/min) 0.001 0.026 0.251 0.001 0.027 0.256 0.001 0.026 0.266
β = unstandardised regression coefficient, R and P are from a simple and multiple linear regression analysis: Model 1, simple regression analysis;
2

Model 2, including sex in the regression model; Model 3, including age in the regression model. Abbreviations: LPA light physical activity, MPA
moderate physical activity, VPA vigorous physical activity, MVPA moderate-vigorous physical activity, TPA total physical activity, VO2max
maximum oxygen uptake.
 Table 3. Relationship of the changes in body composition, blood variables, physical activity and sedentary time, dietary intake, and
cardiorespiratory fitness, with the change in maximal fat oxidation.
Model 1 Model 2 Model 3
β R2 P value β R2 P value β R2 P value
Changes in body composition
Weight (kg) 0.005 0.019 0.321 0.004 0.028 0.447 0.004 0.073 0.467
2
Body mass index (kg/m ) 0.018 0.030 0.215 0.016 0.039 0.282 0.014 0.079 0.359
Fat mass (kg) -0.003 0.045 0.141 -0.003 0.073 0.091 -0.002 0.094 0.309
Lean mass (kg) 0.004 0.075 0.054 0.004 0.095 0.041 0.003 0.110 0.171
Changes in blood variables
Plasma glucose (mg/dL) 0.001 0.020 0.325 0.001 0.025 0.397 0.001 0.075 0.259
Plasma insulin (uUI/mL) 0.000 0.000 0.960 0.000 0.010 0.996 0.002 0.055 0.636
HOMA index 0.006 0.006 0.593 0.005 0.014 0.658 0.012 0.069 0.336
Changes in physical activity and sedentary time
Sedentary time (min/day) -0.124 0.015 0.400 -0.163 0.051 0.278 -0.113 0.075 0.433
LPA (min/day) 0.040 0.002 0.789 0.056 0.028 0.709 0.058 0.066 0.690
MPA (min/day) 0.192 0.037 0.192 0.202 0.066 0.170 0.187 0.097 0.195
VPA (min/day) -0.020 0.000 0.893 -0.025 0.026 0.865 -0.037 0.064 0.797
MVPA (min/day) 0.187 0.035 0.204 0.196 0.064 0.182 0.181 0.095 0.209
TPA 0.114 0.013 0.440 0.130 0.042 0.285 0.114 0.075 0.431
Changes in dietary intake
Energy intake (kcal/day) 0.079 0.006 0.577 0.070 0.014 0.626 0.049 0.055 0.725
Fat (% of energy intake) -0.042 0.002 0.771 -0.041 0.015 0.773 -0.005 0.040 0.973
Protein (% of energy intake) 0.035 0.001 0.806 0.052 0.016 0.720 -0.016 0.040 0.914
Carbohydrate (% of energy intake) 0.181 0.033 0.205 0.164 0.039 0.263 0.201 0.080 0.155
Changes in cardiorespiratory fitness
VO2max (ml/min) 0.470 0.221 <0.001 0.481 0.246 <0.001 0.406 0.245 0.001
VO2max (ml/kg/min) 0.006 0.197 0.001 0.006 0.211 0.001 0.006 0.236 0.001
β = unstandardised regression coefficient, R and P are from a simple and multiple linear regression analysis: Model 1, simple regression analysis;
2

Model 2, including sex in the regression model; Model 3, including age in the regression model. Abbreviations: LPA light physical activity, MPA
moderate physical activity, VPA vigorous physical activity, MVPA moderate-vigorous physical activity, TPA total physical activity, VO2max
maximum oxygen uptake.
 Enrollment and analysis flowchart

247 Expressed interest in participating in FIT-AGEING

FIT-AGEING sends information about meetings

224 Confirmed attendance at an information meeting

6 Information meetings

196 Attended an information meeting

29 Declined to participate

167 Requested the pre-screening questionnaire

26 Did not answer

141 Assessed for eligibility

13 Age (40-65 years) or BMI (18.5-35 kg/m2) out of the range

5 History of CDV disease
2 Diabetes
4 Hyper-hypothyroidism
108 Met pre-screening inclusion criteria 9 Others
Total=33

6 Declined to participate

102 Eligible for baseline assessment

3 Abnormal Exercise ECG

4 Medical exclusion found
during examination
6 Declined to participate
Total=13

N=89 Randomized

N=22 Control N=21 PAR N=23 HIIT N=23 WB-EMS

3 Medical reasons 2 Lack of time 2 Lack of time

3 Lack of time
2 Dissatisfied with 1 Injury 1 Surgery
1 Unknown reasons
the randomisation 2 Unknown reasons 1 Unknown reasons
Total= 4 drop out
Total=5 drop out Total=5 drop out Total=4 drop out

N=17 Completed trial N=17 Completed trial N=18 Completed trial N=19 Completed trial

N=17 Included in per- N=17 Included in per- N=18 Included in per- N=19 Included in per-
protocol analysis protocol analysis protocol analysis protocol analysis

N=22 Included in BOCF N=21 Included in BOCF N=23 Included in BOCF N=23 Included in BOCF
analysis analysis analysis analysis
 A B
F=1.560, P=0.208, h2=0.071 F=0.032, P=0.992, h2=0.002
400 5

D BMR (kcal/kgleanmass/day)
D BMR (kcal/day)

200
0

-5
-200

-400 -10
Control PAR HIIT WB-EMS Control PAR HIIT WB-EMS

C D
F=1.892, P=0.140, h2=0.085 F=2.623, P=0.059, h2=0.114
0.05 50 ¥

D Basal Fat Ox (% BMR)

D Basal Fat Ox (g/min)

0.03
25
0.01
0
-0.01

-25
-0.03

-0.05 -50
Control PAR HIIT WB-EMS Control PAR HIIT WB-EMS
 A B
F=3.083, P=0.034, h 2=0.132 F=0.762, P=0.520, h2=0.038
0.12 2
¥¥

D MFO (mg/kgleanmass/min)
0.08 ¥ 1
D MFO (g/min)

0.04 0

0.00 -1

-0.04 -2
Control PAR HIIT WB-EMS Control PAR HIIT WB-EMS

C
F=0.647, P=0.588, h2=0.031
20
D Fatmax (% VO2max)

10

-10

-20
Control PAR HIIT WB-EMS