Effects of Exercise Snacking on Physical Fitness, Cognition, and Pain in Institutionalized Older Adults (EXSNAKS)

Ivan Patrício

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Physical Fitness in Older Adults; Chronic Pain; Cognition Disorders in Old Age

Treatments: Behavioral: Exercise Snacks; Behavioral: Conventional Exercise

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07335068

D1025B

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aims to compare the effects of two different exercise approaches on health and well-being in older adults living in residential care facilities. One approach, called "exercise snacking," consists of short and frequent bouts of physical activity spread throughout the day, while the other involves longer, structured exercise sessions performed a few times per week.

Approximately 75 adults aged 65 years and older will be randomly assigned to one of the two exercise programs and will participate for 12 weeks. The study will examine whether exercise snacking is as effective as conventional exercise in improving physical fitness, cognitive function, chronic pain intensity, quality of life, and symptoms of anxiety and depression.

The researchers hypothesize that short, intermittent exercise sessions may provide similar or greater health benefits compared to traditional exercise programs and may represent a practical and accessible strategy to promote physical activity in older adults living in institutional settings.

Enrollment: 75 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 65+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age ≥ 65 years
• Residence in Associação Casapiana de Solidariedade

Exclusion criteria

• Severe cognitive impairment (MMSE 0-10)
• Unstable medical conditions (e.g., decompensated heart failure)
• Refusal of consent
• Total inability to walk/move.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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75 participants in 2 patient groups

Exercise Snacks

Experimental group

Description:

The Exercise Snacks intervention comprises two daily sessions of approximately ten minutes each, five days per week (total ≈ 100 minutes/week). Each ten-minute session consists largely of alternating one-minute bouts of activity and one-minute rest. The exercises followed a structured three-month progression. Intensity targeted at a 4 on Borg CR10 Scale "somewhat hard" with progression rules (increase repetitions, range of motion and exercise difficulty).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Exercise Snacks

Conventional Exercise

Active Comparator group

Description:

Conventional Exercise comprises two supervised 50 minutes sessions per week (total ≈ 100 minutes/week). Organized in one-minute exercise/one-minute rest intervals equal in content to the snacks but performed in longer continuous practice. The exercises followed a structured three-month progression. Intensity targeted at a 4 on Borg CR10 Scale "somewhat hard" with progression rules (increase repetitions, range of motion and exercise difficulty).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Conventional Exercise