Psychological impacts of exercise snacks vs. traditional exercise: a comparative study

This study conducted a 4-week randomized controlled trial to compare the psychometric profiles and adherence patterns of Exercise Snacks Group (ESG)-a high-frequency, fragmented exercise protocol-against Traditional Exercise Group (TEG)-continuous exercise-under volume-equated conditions (90 min/week at 40% $\stackrel{.}{V}{O}_{2max}$ ). A total of 180 participants were evaluated on Perceived Stress (PS), Decision Fatigue and Cognitive Load (DFCL), and Physical Activity Enjoyment (PAE; reverse-scored to reflect negative psychological appraisal). The results indicated that the ESG cohort experienced significantly higher levels of PS, DFCL, and lower physical activity enjoyment [higher PAE inverse score, alongside a markedly higher attrition rate (15.56%) compared to the TEG cohort (5.56%).] Intra-group correlation analyses confirmed operational independence among psychometric indicators across both modalities, demonstrating that high-frequency protocols introduce distinct cognitive and affective costs without confounding measurement structures. These findings indicate that while ESG offers a schedule-flexible approach for physical health, its high-frequency demands introduce notable "behavioral friction" and cognitive strain. Consequently, practitioners and researchers must carefully balance the metabolic benefits of fragmented exercise against its psychological costs to ensure sustainable adherence for general populations.