The Use of Competition in a School-based Intervention for Increasing Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Adolescents (B2L-M)

University of the Balearic Islands

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: School-based Intervention; Cardiorespratory Fitness; Mental Health

Treatments: Behavioral: High Intensity Interval Training with Competition; Behavioral: High Intensity Interval Training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06699862

385CER23

Details and patient eligibility

About

Regular physical activity offers numerous physical, psychological, and cognitive health benefits. However, physical inactivity among adolescents remains a global concern, with 81% of 11- to 17-year-olds failing to meet WHO's recommendation of at least one hour of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity daily. This inactivity contributes to immediate and long-term health risks, as many non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in adulthood are linked to behaviors established during adolescence. Promoting healthy lifestyles early is crucial for lifelong health and disease prevention.

One significant barrier to effective school-based physical activity programs, such as High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), is maintaining student motivation. Low engagement often results in poor adherence. Integrating competition-focused on effort rather than performance-may enhance student participation and make HIIT interventions more effective and easier to implement.

This study will evaluate the impact of competition on the Burn 2 Learn - Mallorca (B2L-M) program, targeting adolescents aged 15-18. The intervention aims to determine whether competition improves engagement and outcomes compared to non-competitive groups. The primary outcome is cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), while secondary outcomes include muscular strength, physical activity levels, body composition, mental health (stress and sleep quality), behavior change mediators (self-efficacy, motivation), on-task behavior, blood pressure, and sitting posture.

The B2L-M intervention will involve a 16-week, three-arm cluster randomized controlled trial in Mallorca, Spain, recruiting approximately 360 students from six schools. The program includes teacher-led HIIT sessions twice weekly during physical education, supported by information seminars, a dedicated website, and parental e-newsletters. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and after 16 weeks.

Enrollment: 200 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 15 to 17 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Students who belong from "3º ESO" to "1º bachillerato" levels

Exclusion criteria

• Students with a health or medical condition that would preclude participation in vigorous physical activity will be excluded from the study but will still participate in normal lessons adapted by the PE teacher

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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200 participants in 3 patient groups

Control Group

No Intervention group

Description:

During the 10-week intervention period, the control group will continue their regular physical education (PE) classes, taught by the schools' PE teachers following the standard curriculum.

Experimental condition 1: HIIT without competition (HIIT)

Experimental group

Description:

In the experimental group, Burn 2 Learn - Mallorca (B2L-M) HIIT sessions will be incorporated into regular PE classes twice a week, delivered by the schools' PE teachers. Each session will last 8-10 minutes at the start of class and include a brief warm-up with a mix of aerobic and bodyweight muscle-strengthening exercises. The sessions are designed to be both vigorous and enjoyable to maximize student engagement.

Treatment:

Behavioral: High Intensity Interval Training

Experimental condition 2: HIIT with competition (HIIT+C)

Experimental group

Description:

A key challenge of HIIT is motivating students to maintain high-intensity effort (≥85% of maximum heart rate). To address this, the second experimental condition introduces a competitive element as a motivational strategy. Students will participate in a 10-week school competition to earn points for their class. During each HIIT session, heart rate data will be tracked to monitor exercise intensity and calculate competition points. Each class will earn points equal to the total minutes of vigorous exercise (≥85% of maximum heart rate) achieved collectively by its members. The competition focuses exclusively on effort rather than physical fitness, ensuring that all participants can contribute equally regardless of their initial fitness levels. This approach emphasizes engagement and teamwork while encouraging students to give their best effort during the sessions.

Treatment:

Behavioral: High Intensity Interval Training with Competition