Feasibility and Effects of Exercise Snacks on Fitness and Body Composition in Women With Overweight or Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: We investigated the effects of exercise snacks (ES) on cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, and body fat in women with overweight or obesity. METHODS: Twenty-seven women (age: 31.5 [4.6] y, body mass index: 25.5 [2.5] kg/m2) were randomized to an ES group (n = 13) or a nonexercising control group (n = 14). Participants in the ES group completed 3 supervised 1-minute bouts per day of stair climbing, jump squats, and high knees at 77% to 95% of maximum heart rate, with bouts separated by 1 to 4 hours, and performed on 3 days per week for 6 weeks. VO2max was predicted by the submaximal cycle ergometer test, and whole-body muscular strength was measured by 1-repetition maximum chest and leg press tests. Body fat was measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis, and blood samples were obtained after a 10-hour overnight fast. RESULTS: Of the 27 randomized, 24 participants (12 ES and 12 controls) completed the study with 100% exercise attendance. Significant group × time effects (P < .01) were observed for body composition, with the ES group showing reductions in body weight, percent body fat, and waist circumference. Cardiorespiratory fitness and whole-body muscular strength index increased significantly in the ES group by 20% (from 30.3 [4.7] to 36.3 [5.2] mL/kg/min) and 33% (from 2.1 [0.5] to 2.8 [0.5]), respectively, whereas metabolic variables remained unchanged. CONCLUSION: Brief ES totaling as little as 3 minutes per day may be a practical and time-efficient strategy to improves fitness and body composition in women with increased adiposity.