Health-Related Benefits and Adherence for Multiple Short Bouts of Aerobic Physical Activity Among Adults

Abstract

Most adults do not adhere to established aerobic physical activity (PA) guidelines due in part to various barriers. PA snacks, or periodic short bouts of activity (<10 minutes) offer a potential strategy to overcoming such barriers and increasing PA. Previous efforts have been focused on eliciting the health benefits of PA and exercise snacks, yet adherence to this concept has not been examined. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current literature assessing adherence to PA snacks and health-related outcomes associated with PA snacks. PubMed, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus were searched for literature published between January 2018-September 2023. Studies investigating adherence and/or the health-related outcomes of PA snacks were included. Of 4201 articles identified, 12 studies were included in the review. Most of the studies were randomized (n = 10), focused on adults with a chronic disease/life-long condition or exhibited a sedentary lifestyle (n = 8), and reported positive health outcomes (n = 12; e.g., improvements in cardiometabolic markers and body composition). Five studies reported adherence to supervised and unsupervised PA snack interventions, with high rates ≥92%. This review supports and extends the previously reported health-related benefits of PA snacks. It also shows promise for increasing overall PA and adherence to the PA guidelines.