High-volume interval exercise linked to higher enjoyment in people with HIV versus healthy controls

AIM: This study compared acute psychological responses to a single session of low-volume high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE-LV), high-volume high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE-HV), and moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE) in people living with HIV, and healthy controls using a randomized, counterbalanced crossover design. METHODS: The participants (people living with HIV, and healthy controls) completed three exercise sessions in randomized order: HIIE-HV (4 × 4 min at 80% of maximal power output [W]), HIIE-LV (10 × 60 s at 90% W), and MICE (30 min at 60% W). Psychological outcomes included affective response assessed by the Feeling Scale, exercise enjoyment and future exercise intention (FEI), while rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was recorded throughout the exercise. Data were analysed using repeated-measures ANOVA with the group as a between-subject factor. RESULTS: All participants completed the three exercise conditions and were included in the analyses (11 people living with HIV and 11 healthy controls). In people living with HIV, exercise enjoyment was higher following HIIE-HV compared with healthy controls (p = 0.031). No between-condition differences were observed for affective response or FEI in people living with HIV. During exercise, affective responses did not differ between exercise modalities in people living with HIV, whereas healthy controls reported lower affective responses during HIIE-HV compared with HIIE-LV and MICE. RPE was significantly higher during HIIE-HV compared with HIIE-LV and MICE in both groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: People living with HIV demonstrated similar affective responses and FEI following MICE and HIIE compared with healthy adults, despite higher perceived exertion during HIIE-HV. Notably, people living with HIV reported higher exercise enjoyment following HIIE-HV, suggesting that this exercise modality may be particularly well tolerated and positively perceived in this population.