.png){kind=icon}
.png){kind=icon}
Return
Effects of exercise snacks on physical and mental health among sedentary students: a randomized controlled trial study protocol
.png){kind=icon}
OA
AI
Z
Z
T
L
G
B
Z
S
Y
T
J
J
DOI：10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1863839.png)
.png){kind=icon}
Original request for help.png){kind=icon}
Share.png){kind=icon}
Save
Abstract
En 中文
Sedentary behavior is highly prevalent among university students and is associated with adverse cardiometabolic; inflammatory; and psychological outcomes. Exercise snacks (ES); generally conceptualized as brief; structured bouts of physical activity distributed across the day; have emerged as a time-efficient strategy for improving health; but evidence in sedentary university students remains limited. This study is the initial phase of a multiphase randomised controlled trial program and aims to evaluate the effects of a structured; campus-based stair climbing ES intervention on the physical and mental health of sedentary university students. In this two-arm; parallel-group; superiority trial with blinded outcome assessment and blinded data analysis; 60 sedentary university students will be randomly allocated to an ES group or a usual-lifestyle control group. The intervention consists of a 12-week structured stair-climbing ES programme; including an initial adaptation phase and an intensified progression phase. The primary outcome is maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). Secondary outcomes comprise mental health and selected physical health measures; whereas exploratory outcomes comprise metabolic; inflammatory; and adipokine biomarkers. Intention-to-treat analyses will use analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) or log-ANCOVA; with primary inference based on baseline-adjusted between-group differences in VO2max. This trial will test a pragmatic; campus-based intervention in sedentary university students and may provide methodological and empirical support for campus-based student health promotion and subsequent experiments within the registered program.Trial registrationhttps://www.chictr.org.cn/indexEN.html; identifier ChiCTR2500106549.
Keywords:
university students
sedentary behavior
health promotion
exercise prescription
exercise snacks
Journal
IF:
3.2
Papers:
1.8W
Citations:
4.8W
Organization
Cited Papers