Many people want to improve their health but struggle to find time or motivation to exercise regularly.
A new study brings hope by showing that short bursts of activity, known as “exercise snacks,” can help improve heart and lung fitness in adults who don’t move much.
These exercise snacks are brief moments of moderate to strong physical activity that last five minutes or less.
Examples include climbing stairs, lifting weights, or doing quick leg workouts. The idea is to fit these small activities into your day without needing a gym or long workout sessions.
The research was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine and looked at 11 different studies from countries like Australia, Canada, China, and the UK. Together, these studies included 414 adults who were mostly inactive.
About 69% of them were women. Most were considered sedentary, which means they spent a lot of time sitting or doing little physical activity.
In the modern world, many adults and teenagers don’t meet the basic physical activity goals. Experts say people should aim for at least 300 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 to 150 minutes of more intense activity each week. But many people fall short, often due to busy schedules or lack of energy.
This is where exercise snacks come in. They don’t require a lot of time, and they’re easier to do throughout the day. In the studies reviewed, people were asked to do these short exercises at least twice a day, between three and seven days a week, for a period of four to twelve weeks.
Younger and middle-aged adults mostly did stair climbing, either in one go or in small intervals. Older adults often did tai chi or leg exercises. While these activities are quick, they can still be powerful.
The analysis showed that these exercise snacks helped improve cardiorespiratory fitness. That means the heart and lungs became better at supplying oxygen during activity, which is good for overall health.
However, not all results were strong. The studies didn’t show big improvements in muscle strength, body fat, blood pressure, or cholesterol. Also, the benefits for older adults’ muscle endurance were limited.
Even so, one of the most promising findings was that people stuck with the program. About 91% of participants completed their exercises, and 83% followed the program as planned. This is important because many people quit exercise plans after a short time. Exercise snacks seem easier to stick with, even without help from a coach or trainer.
The researchers did mention some limitations. The number of studies was small, and the methods used in each study were different, which makes it hard to draw firm conclusions. Still, the message is clear: small, quick workouts may be a helpful tool for people who struggle to fit exercise into their daily life.
In the end, exercise snacks offer a flexible, realistic way to get moving. You don’t need to go to the gym or change your clothes. You just need a few minutes and a bit of effort.
This could be especially useful for busy adults or those who are just starting to become more active. While more research is needed, this study suggests that these bite-sized workouts could be a big step in the right direction for improving health.
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The study is published in British Journal of Sports Medicine.
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