Health benefits of high intensity exercise for populations at risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease

There are two seperate invervention groups and a comparator group ie three groups in total. Both intervention groups will undertake three walking based exercise prescriptions per week for twelve weeks consisting of either i) maximal volitional activity (Maximal Volitional Intensity Training group or MVIT)or ii) high intensity activity (High Intensity Intermittent Training group or HIIT). There will be an incremental increase in the MVIT exercise prescriptions over the twelve week study but estimated duration of the intervention per session (including warm up and cool down periods) for both intervention groups is about 30 minutes. The exercise classes will be led by applied science students under the supervision of exercise physiologists. The applied science students will have received prior training in the administration of exercise prescriptions, from the relevant exercise physiologists. The MVIT participants will undergo a minimum of three maximal volitional intensity (ie 'all out') exercises of 30 seconds duration, building up to up to six repetitions of 45 seconds. The HITT participants will undertake four 4 minute exercises at an intensity of 85-95% peak heart rate, interspersed with three recovery periods of three minutes at 65-75% peak heart rate.