Stair-climbing exercise snacks: 3 approximately 30-second all-out bouts over 6 flights, totaling 126 steps and 18.9 m elevation, with more than 1 hour between bouts; scheduled three times weekly
Exercise Snacks
Stair-Climbing Exercise Snacks: Randomized Pilot Study
A 6-week randomized pilot tested stair-climbing exercise snacks on a university campus in inactive young adults. The approach was feasible and well received, with quality of life improving and perceived stress falling in the stair-climbing group.
Study overview
- Study title
- Effects of Integrating Stair Climbing-Based Exercise Snacks Into the Campus on Feasibility, Perceived Efficacy, and Participation Perspectives in Inactive Young Adults: A Randomized Mixed-Methods Pilot Study.
- Study authors
- Mingyue Yin, Huakun Zheng, Mingyang Bai, Guoyuan Huang, Zhili Chen, Shengji Deng, Mengde Lyu, Jianfeng Deng, Boyi Zhang, Hansen Li, Xing Zhang, Qian Liu, Jonathan P Little, Yongming Li
- Population
- Healthy, inactive young university adults; mean age 21.6 years; mean BMI 22.5 kg/m²
- Sample size
- 42
- Duration
- 6 weeks
- Comparator
- Moderate-intensity continuous training and habitual lifestyle control group
- Outcomes
- feasibility, participation and adherence, future intentions, enjoyment, satisfaction, quality of life, perceived stress
Intervention
Main findings
The stair-climbing intervention was feasible, with high retention and session attendance, and was viewed positively by most interviewed participants. Compared with baseline, it improved quality of life and reduced perceived stress; stair climbing and continuous training were similar for future intentions, enjoyment, and satisfaction. Between-group differences were not significant for those participation measures.
What this may mean in practice
Snacksmate's reading of the evidence — not a quotation from the original paper.
For inactive young adults on a university campus, brief stair-climbing bouts appeared feasible and acceptable over 6 weeks. The pilot also found improvements in quality of life and perceived stress, but the small sample means larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Limitations
Small pilot sample limits precision and generalizability.
Original study
What can you take from this?
The notes above are Snacksmate’s reading of this study, not personal advice.