Author(s): LIXIN, Y., DAI, X., GUO, X., GUO, Z., MENG, J., Institution: CAPITAL UNIVERSITY OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH, Country: CHINA, Abstract-ID: 1298

INTRODUCTION:
Physical inactivity is a global public health concern, particularly among university students, where prolonged sedentary behavior contributes to poor physical fitness and increased risks of cardiovascular diseases. While ultra-slow jogging (USJ) has emerged as an accessible, low-intensity aerobic exercise capable of eliciting higher energy expenditure than brisk walking, its specific physiological and psychological adaptations in sedentary populations remain underexplored. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of an 8-week USJ intervention on cardiopulmonary function, body composition, and mental health (specifically depression and anxiety) in sedentary college students.
METHODS:
The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Capital University of Physical Education and Sports (Approval No. 2025A110). Twenty sedentary university students (10 males, 10 females; non-sports majors) were recruited for a single-group, pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study. Participants completed an 8-week supervised ultra-slow jogging intervention on a treadmill, consisting of 30-minute sessions three times per week at a constant speed of 4.5 km/h. Anthropometric (BMI, muscle mass, body fat percentage, waist-to-hip ratio) and cardiorespiratory (VO₂max, resting heart rate, blood pressure) parameters were measured pre- and post-intervention. Psychological health was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Data were analyzed using paired t-tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests (SPSS 26.0), with significance set at p < 0.05.
RESULTS:
Post-intervention analysis revealed significant improvements in the total sample for maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max, p=0.004), supine heart rate (p=0.012), standing heart rate (p=0.009), and depression scores (PHQ-9, p=0.006). Gender-stratified analysis highlighted distinct adaptive responses. Female participants exhibited significant positive changes in body composition and mental health, including reduced BMI (p=0.007) and body fat percentage (p=0.016), increased muscle mass (p=0.011), and decreased anxiety scores (GAD-7, p=0.009). Conversely, male participants showed significant improvements in aerobic capacity (VO2max, p=0.013) and supine heart rate (p=0.027), alongside a significant change in waist-to-hip ratio (p=0.041). No significant changes were observed in body weight or maximum heart rate during exercise for the total sample.
CONCLUSION:
The 8-week ultra-slow jogging (USJ) intervention effectively enhanced cardiorespiratory fitness and alleviated depressive symptoms in sedentary students. Notably, distinct sex-specific adaptations emerged: females showed greater improvements in body composition and anxiety, while males exhibited superior gains in aerobic capacity VO₂max). These findings suggest USJ is a viable, low-barrier public health strategy, highlighting the potential importance of gender-tailored exercise prescriptions.