High-Intensity Exercise Snacks for Reducing Mobile Phone Addiction in Adolescents (ES-MPA)

Jinan University Guangzhou

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Sedentary Behaviors; Smartphone Addiction; Adolescent Behavior

Treatments: Behavioral: Exercise Snacks Protocol

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07338058

SBRE-25-0472 (Other Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) designed to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of "Exercise Snacks" (fragmented, high-intensity bouts of exercise) in reducing mobile phone addiction among adolescents.

Participants will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. The intervention spans 5 months and is followed by a 1-month follow-up period (Month 6). The intervention group will perform short bursts of exercise (e.g., 1-minute sprints, squats) multiple times daily during school breaks. The program is divided into three progressive phases: adaptation, enhancement, and consolidation. The study aims to determine whether this sustained "snack-style" exercise regimen can significantly lower mobile phone addiction scores, improve physical fitness, and enhance psychological traits such as self-control and resilience over a semester-long period.

Full description

Background and Rationale: Adolescents face increasing risks of mobile phone addiction, which is associated with sedentary behavior. "Exercise Snacks"-isolated bouts of vigorous exercise performed periodically throughout the day-offer a time-efficient solution. This study applies the COMB model and Self-Determination Theory to a long-term, semester-based intervention.

Study Design: This is a single-blind, randomized controlled trial conducted over a 6-month period (5 months of intervention + 1 month of follow-up).

Intervention Protocol: The intervention group follows a progressive "Exercise Snacks" program:

Adaptation Phase (Month 1 / Weeks 1-4): Focus on habit formation. Participants perform "Sprint Snacks" (e.g., stair climbing) 3 times daily and "Strength Snacks" (e.g., squats) 2 times weekly. Intensity is monitored to ensure safety and correct posture.

Enhancement Phase (Months 2-3 / Weeks 5-12): Focus on physiological adaptation. Frequency increases to 4 daily Sprint Snacks and 3 weekly Strength Snacks. A weekly collective High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) session is introduced to maximize cardiorespiratory benefits.

Consolidation Phase (Months 4-5 / Weeks 13-20): Focus on psychological integration. Daily snacks continue. Collective HIIT sessions increase to twice weekly. A cognitive-behavioral guidance component is added (bi-weekly) to help students identify phone use triggers and internalize healthy behaviors.

Follow-up Phase (Month 6 / Weeks 21-24): The structured intervention ceases. Participants are encouraged to maintain self-guided exercise. Final assessments are conducted at the end of Month 6 to evaluate the retention of intervention effects and any "rebound" in mobile phone addiction.

Outcome Measures: The primary outcome is Mobile Phone Addiction (SAS-SV), assessed at baseline, Month 3, Month 5 (post-intervention), and Month 6 (follow-up). Secondary outcomes include physical activity levels (PARS-3 and wearables), self-control (BSCS), resilience (RSCA), and mental health status.

Enrollment: 220 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 12 to 18 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Adolescents aged 12-18 years enrolled in the participating middle/high school.
2. Owner of a smartphone with daily usage time > 2 hours.
3. Score on the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV) indicating a risk of addiction (e.g., score > 31 for males, > 33 for females).
4. Physically capable of participating in high-intensity exercise (PAR-Q screening negative).
5. Provided written informed consent (from both student and guardian).

Exclusion criteria

1. Diagnosed with severe physical disabilities or cardiovascular diseases that contraindicate high-intensity exercise (e.g., congenital heart disease).
2. Currently participating in other professional sports training or weight loss programs.
3. Diagnosed with severe psychiatric disorders (e.g., severe depression, schizophrenia) requiring medication.
4. Taking medications that affect heart rate or cognitive function.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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220 participants in 2 patient groups

Exercise Snacks Group

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this group follow a 5-month structured "Exercise Snacks" protocol. The intervention consists of daily short bursts of high-intensity exercise (e.g., 1-minute sprints, squats) performed during school breaks, supplemented by weekly collective HIIT sessions. The program progresses through adaptation, enhancement, and consolidation phases.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Exercise Snacks Protocol

Control Group

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants in this group are instructed to maintain their usual daily campus life and academic routines without altering their existing physical activity habits. They do not participate in the structured exercise snacks program during the study period.