Body composition
VAT mass and body composition changes after 12 weeks significantly differed between study groups. VAT mass only decreased in the VLCHF and VLCHF + HIIT groups (p < 0.001, median [95% CI]: VLCHF: − 142.0 [− 187.0; − 109.5] g; VLCHF + HIIT: − 104.0 [− 135.0; − 71.0] g). Similarly, changes in body mass, total body fat, trunk fat mass, waist and hip circumferences were distinctly decreased in the VLCHF and VLCHF + HIIT groups, when compared to HIIT and Control groups. However, total lean mass significantly decreased in the VLCHF and VLCHF + HIIT groups (− 2.1 [− 3.0; − 1.6] kg and − 2.5 [− 3.6; − 1.8] kg, respectively), but not in HIIT and control groups, as presented in the parent study (Cipryan et al., 