Exercise Snacking for Chronic Conditions and Cardiometabolic Risk: An Evidence Map and Scoping Review

Exercise snacking is an emerging approach for accumulating physical activity through brief bouts distributed throughout the day. Mapping the current evidence is important for understanding its potential clinical application and identifying research gaps.

To map the scope, characteristics, and distribution of evidence on exercise-snacking interventions among individuals with chronic conditions and cardiometabolic risk, and to identify research gaps.

We conducted a scoping review following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. We systematically searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, and Chinese databases (CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed) to identify literature regarding the application of exercise snacking in populations with chronic conditions and cardiometabolic risk from inception to August 1, 2026. Two researchers independently extracted, synthesized, and analyzed data from the included studies.

The 25 publications meeting our inclusion criteria represented 23 original studies, comprising 20 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and three quasi-experimental studies, involving 560 participants. The exercise-snacking interventions primarily focused on populations with cardiometabolic risk factors or metabolic disorders. These interventions included three modalities: aerobic, resistance, and balance exercise. The interventions were delivered at moderate-to-vigorous intensity, with sessions lasting ≤10minutes and performed two to six times daily. Regarding intervention duration, 12 studies were acute laboratory studies lasting 3-24hours, three were short-term training studies lasting 2-4 days, and eight were longer-term interventions lasting 3-12 weeks. Outcomes assessed across studies included metabolism-related indices, physical function and body composition, neurocognitive function, quality of life, and feasibility-related outcomes. Methodological appraisal indicated generally adequate reporting of outcome measurement and attrition, while highlighting limitations in allocation concealment and blinding.

This review maps the available evidence regarding potential short-term benefits and feasibility-related outcomes of exercise snacking. However, the predominance of acute laboratory studies, concentration of evidence among populations with metabolic disorders and within limited geographical regions, and insufficient evidence regarding long-term outcomes, safety, and implementation limit definitive conclusions regarding clinical effectiveness, optimal dosage, and disease-specific recommendations. Further high-quality, standardized, adequately powered, and longer-term clinical trials are needed to explore personalized intervention strategies and clarify the clinical applicability of exercise-snacking interventions across diverse populations with chronic conditions and cardiometabolic risk.