Efficacy of Movement Breaks in Real-World Settings

Not Applicable

Completed

Conditions: Healthy

Interventions: Behavioral: Movement Breaks

Registration Number: NCT05574426

Lead Sponsor: University of British Columbia

Brief Summary: 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.

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.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 77

Inclusion Criteria

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

Exclusion Criteria

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

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Mobility Movement Breaks	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.
Cardiovascular Movement Breaks	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.

Primary Outcome Measures

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

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change From Baseline in Plasma Insulin	Baseline and 12 weeks	A fasted venous blood sample will be obtained and insulin measured by commercial assay.
Change From Baseline in Plasma Glucose	Baseline and 12 weeks	A fasted venous blood sample will be obtained and glucose measured by biochemical assay.
Change From Baseline in Insulin Resistance	Baseline and 12 weeks	A fasted venous blood sample will be obtained and insulin resistance estimated by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) score
Change From Baseline in Inflammatory Cytokines	Baseline and 12 weeks	A fasted venous blood sample will be obtained and inflammatory cytokines measured by multiplex assay
Change From Baseline in Body Mass	Baseline and 12 weeks	Body mass will be measured by weigh scale
Change From Baseline in Waist Circumference	Baseline and 12 weeks	Waist circumference (in centimetres) will be measured using a measurement tape.
Device-Measured Adherence to Movement Breaks	Week 2 and week 11	Participants will wear accelerometers to assess adherence near the beginning and the end of the intervention.
Self-Reported Adherence to Movement Breaks	Once per week for 12 weeks	Participants will be sent weekly surveys asking them to recall the total number of movement breaks performed that week.
Movement Break Enjoyment Assessed by the Exercise Enjoyment Scale (EES)	Immediately following each movement break for entire 12-week intervention	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).
Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) Following Movement Breaks	Immediately following each movement break for entire 12-week intervention	A 10 point RPE scale will be used to assess perceived exertion ranging from 0 (rest) to 10 (maximal).