Efficacy of Movement Breaks in Real-World Settings

The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of performing "exercise snacks" (short movement breaks throughout the day) on various measures of cardiometabolic health.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Movement Breaks

Detailed Description

After being informed about the study and potential risks, all eligible participants who have provided consent will undergo a baseline visit to assess pre-intervention basic anthropometrics, cardiorespiratory fitness, and provide a blood sample. Participants will then be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to one of two groups: 1) Mobility movement breaks (stretching or range of motion exercises); or 2) Cardiovascular movement breaks (designed to raise heart rate). Both groups will be encouraged to perform 3-4 daily movement breaks on at least 3 days of the week with support from an online platform and app that provides video instructions and reminders to complete the movement breaks. After 12 weeks, participants will be asked to return to the lab for the same testing performed at baseline.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 77
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Canada
  • British Columbia
    • Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, V1V 1V7
      • University of British Columbia
  • Ontario
    • Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
      • McMaster University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 40 years to 64 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Physically inactive (performing <150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic exercise per week, assessed by pre-screening Get Active Questionnaire);
2. Body Mass Index: 18.5-30.0 kg/m2;
3. Not currently diagnosed with or being treated for cardiometabolic disease (e.g., coronary artery disease, diabetes);
4. Not a current smoker;
5. Cleared to engage in physical activity using the Get Active Questionnaire and, if applicable, consultation with a Qualified Exercise Professional;
6. Access to a computer, tablet or smartphone for intervention delivery and tracking

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Chronic health condition preventing participation in exercise;
2. Lack of access to internet connection

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Cardiovascular Movement Breaks; Participants will perform 3-4 exercise snacks (30-60s bursts of exercise) on at least 3 days of the week. The exercises prescribed in this arm will be designed to increase heart rate.	Behavioral: Movement Breaks; Participants will be asked to perform 30-60 second movement breaks 3-4 times per day on at least 3 days per week.; Other Names: Activity Snacks
Active Comparator: Mobility Movement Breaks; Participants will perform 3-4 mobility snacks (30-60s of mobility exercises or stretching) on at least 3 days of the week. The exercises prescribed in this arm are not designed to increase heart rate.	Behavioral: Movement Breaks; Participants will be asked to perform 30-60 second movement breaks 3-4 times per day on at least 3 days per week.; Other Names: Activity Snacks

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change From Baseline in Cardiorespiratory Fitness at 12 Weeks	Cardiorespiratory fitness will be assessed as the highest 30-s average from a laboratory-based graded VO2peak test on a cycle ergometer.	Baseline and Week 12

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Device-Measured Adherence to Movement Breaks	Participants will wear accelerometers to assess adherence near the beginning and the end of the intervention.	Week 2 and week 11
Self-Reported Adherence to Movement Breaks	Participants will be sent weekly surveys asking them to recall the total number of movement breaks performed that week.	Once per week for 12 weeks
Change From Baseline in Plasma Insulin	A fasted venous blood sample will be obtained and insulin measured by commercial assay.	Baseline and 12 weeks
Change From Baseline in Plasma Glucose	A fasted venous blood sample will be obtained and glucose measured by biochemical assay.	Baseline and 12 weeks
Change From Baseline in Insulin Resistance	A fasted venous blood sample will be obtained and insulin resistance estimated by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) score	Baseline and 12 weeks
Change From Baseline in Inflammatory Cytokines	A fasted venous blood sample will be obtained and inflammatory cytokines measured by multiplex assay	Baseline and 12 weeks
Change From Baseline in Body Mass	Body mass will be measured by weigh scale	Baseline and 12 weeks
Change From Baseline in Waist Circumference	Waist circumference (in centimetres) will be measured using a measurement tape.	Baseline and 12 weeks
Movement Break Enjoyment Assessed by the Exercise Enjoyment Scale (EES)	The EES is a validated, single-item 7-point scale to assess exercise enjoyment. Possible scores range from 1 (not at all) to 7 (extremely).	Immediately following each movement break for entire 12-week intervention
Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) Following Movement Breaks	A 10 point RPE scale will be used to assess perceived exertion ranging from 0 (rest) to 10 (maximal).	Immediately following each movement break for entire 12-week intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of British Columbia
• Collaborators: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR); McMaster University; Canadian Cancer Society (CCS)
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Jonathan Little, University of British Columbia

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 1, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 5, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): December 5, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 6, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 6, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): October 10, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 4, 2025
• Last Verified: March 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Exercise Snack; Movement Break; Sedentary Time; Lifestyle Exercise; Physical Activity Breaks; VILPA
• Other Study ID Numbers: H21-03417; 707246 (Other Grant/Funding Number: Canadian Cancer Society); POC-181042 (Other Grant/Funding Number: Canadian Institutes of Health Research)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No