the effect of twelve weeks high intensity training interval (hiit) on leptin levels and obesity dependent factors among female students suffering overweight

leptin is a hormone, which is secreted from fat tissue, has an important role to set cell metabolism and energy balance. the present study aims at the effect of twelve weeks high intensity interval training (hiit) on leptin level and obesity dependent factors among female students suffering overweight. in this semi-experimental study, twenty four students with bmi of 25-30 kg/m2 were selected purposefully and randomly divided and put in two groups of experimental with average of (age 22.60 ± 0.97 years, weight 85.50 ± 2.37 kg, and height 166.80 ± 2.82 cm) and control group with average of (age 23.20 ± 1.3 years, weight 82.90 ± 3.18 kg, and height 168.20 ± 1.87 cm). experimental group exercised an aerobic high intensity training for twelve weeks, three sessions a week, with the intensity of 90 percent of maximum heartbeat. amount of leptin of plasma, fat percentage, body mass index and waist to hip ratio were calculated before and after exercise. data gathered using kolmogorov-smirnov tests and dependent and independent t test were analyzed in a significance level of α≤0.05. results showed that twelve weeks high intensity training of running has had a significance effect (p≤0.05) on reduction of serum level of leptin of plasma, body weight, fat percentage, bmi and whr in experimental group comparing control group. it seems that high intensity interval training as a non invasive, non drug method can have a positive effect to decline leptin level and some factors dependent to obesity and overweigh.