Improving PCOS Through Movement: A Study on HIIT, Strength Training and Women’s Health

Authors

Angela Avdella, University of Central FloridaFollow
Eryka Salta, University of Central FloridaFollow

Streaming Media

Files

Course Code

HSC

Course Number

4930

Faculty/Instructor

Dr. Cheryl Cavaliere

Faculty/Instructor Email

Cheryl.Cavaliere@ucf.edu

About the Author

Hello, we are Angela Avdella and Eryka Salta, and we are grateful for the opportunity to present this project. We would like to thank Dr. Cavaliere for her guidance throughout this process, as well as Ms. Esther, our teaching assistant, for her continued support. We also want to acknowledge and thank the members of our PCOS group–Sidratul, Sahti, and Ritchy–for their meaningful contributions throughout the semester. This project allowed us to apply what we learned in the course to a meaningful, real-world health topic, and we truly appreciate everyone who played a role in helping us complete it.

Abstract, Summary, or Creative Statement

This integrative learning project examined how different forms of physical activity—specifically High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and Strength Training (ST)—impact hormonal and physical health in women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a common hormonal disorder affecting 6–15% of women and is associated with insulin resistance, elevated testosterone levels, increased body fat, and long-term risks such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Because lifestyle interventions are key to PCOS management, this interventional study enumerated exercise as a strategy to improve health outcomes.

The study used was a 12-week intervention design in which participants completed either HIIT or strength training three times per week. Serum testosterone levels, body fat percentage, and physical activity levels were the dependent variables. Results showed that while both forms of exercise led to improvements, HIIT produced greater reductions in testosterone, larger decreases in body fat, and slightly higher increases in physical activity.

Overall, the study highlights the effectiveness of HIIT exercise in managing PCOS and supports HIIT as a particularly beneficial option for improving hormonal and metabolic health in women in the community.

Additional Resources

Clinical trial used: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04942366?cond=Testosterone&intr=physical%20Activity&aggFilters=phase:3%204%20NA,results:with,studyType:int%20obs&rank=4

Keywords

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, PCOS, Women's Health, Reproductive Health, Lifestyle, Community Health, High-Intensity Interval Training, Strength Training, Physical Activity

Recommended Citation

Avdella, Angela and Salta, Eryka, "Improving PCOS Through Movement: A Study on HIIT, Strength Training and Women’s Health" (2025). High Impact Practices Student Showcase Fall 2025. 26.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hip-2025fall/26