Psychological StressESNCT07666893
Psychological Impacts of Exercise Snacks Versus Traditional Exercise: A Comparative Study
A study testing Exercise Snacks Group (ESG) and Traditional Exercise Group (TEG) in people with Psychological Stress and Mental Fatigue, run by Lincoln University College at 1 site in China.
Trial summary
This study investigates the comparative psychological impacts of a high-frequency "Exercise Snacks" (ESG) protocol versus a traditional continuous exercise (TEG) regimen on healthy young adults. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 30 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Psychological Stress, Mental Fatigue, Cognitive Dysfunction
- What is being tested?
- Exercise Snacks Group (ESG) and Traditional Exercise Group (TEG)
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 199 participants
- Where
- 1 siteChina
- Study dates
- 16 Mar 2026to 16 Jun 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 30 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Healthy young adults (aged 18-30).
- Body composition within the healthy range (12%-25% for males; 18%-33% for females).
- Able and willing to provide informed consent and adhere to the 4-week exercise protocol.
Who cannot join
- Pre-existing cardiovascular, metabolic, or chronic respiratory conditions.
- History of musculoskeletal injuries that prevent safe participation in cycling.
- Current engagement in regular, structured exercise exceeding 60 minutes per week.
- Use of medications or substances known to significantly influence heart rate, cognitive performance, or stress responses.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
This study investigates the comparative psychological impacts of a high-frequency "Exercise Snacks" (ESG) protocol versus a traditional continuous exercise (TEG) regimen on healthy young adults. Utilizing a randomized controlled trial design over a 4-week longitudinal period, 180 participants were allocated into two groups of 90, with a standby recruitment protocol employed to ensure sample size stability.
The intervention was standardized to equate total weekly exercise volume at 90 minutes. The TEG cohort performed 30-minute continuous cycling sessions three times per week, whereas the ESG cohort executed 15-minute distributed cycling sessions six times per week. To ensure physiological homogeneity and precision in workload prescription, individual baseline maximal aerobic capacity was assessed via incremental cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Based on these individual thresholds, exercise intensity for both cohorts was rigorously maintained at 40% of their respective maximal aerobic capacity throughout the intervention.
Psychometric outcomes were evaluated within 24 hours of the intervention's conclusion, focusing on three dimensions: Perceived Stress, Decision Fatigue and Cognitive Load, and Physical Activity Enjoyment. By applying Lazarus and Folkman's Transactional Model of Stress and Coping, Sweller's Cognitive Load Theory, and Self-Determination Theory, this research examines how fragmented exercise protocols interact with daily workflow and self-regulatory resources. The findings provide critical insights into the real-world viability, behavioral resistance, and psychological divergence associated with high-frequency, fragmented exercise routines compared to conventional models.
- Being tested
- Exercise Snacks Group (ESG), Traditional Exercise Group (TEG)
- Keywords
- Attention Restoration Theory, Psychophysiological Restoration
- Medical subject headings
- Stress, Psychological, Mental Fatigue, Cognitive Dysfunction
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Exercise Snacks Group (ESG)Behavioural
Participants perform high-frequency, fragmented exercise consisting of six 15-minute cycling sessions per week, totaling 90 minutes of weekly activity. The exercise intensity is strictly prescribed and maintained at 40% of the individual's maximal aerobic capacity, as determined by preliminary cardiopulmonary testing. All sessions are conducted on digitized, electronically braked stationary ergometers to ensure precise, real-time monitoring of power output and strict adherence to the prescribed workload.
Traditional Exercise Group (TEG)Behavioural
Participants perform structured, continuous exercise consisting of three 30-minute cycling sessions per week, totaling 90 minutes of weekly activity. To ensure physiological equivalence, the exercise intensity is also strictly maintained at 40% of the individual's maximal aerobic capacity. Participants utilize the same digitized, electronically braked stationary ergometers as the ESG group to ensure consistent monitoring of exercise duration and intensity throughout the 4-week intervention period.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise Snacks Group (ESG) | Experimental | Participants in this group perform high-frequency, fragmented exercise sessions. The protocol consists of six 15-minute cycling sessions per week, totaling 90 minutes of moderate-intensity activity. The exercise intensity is strictly regulated at 40% of the individual's maximal aerobic capacity, monitored via electronically braked cycle ergometers. Receives: Behavioral: Exercise Snacks Group (ESG) |
| Traditional Exercise Group (TEG) | Active comparator | Participants in this group follow a structured, continuous exercise protocol. The intervention involves three 30-minute sessions of continuous cycling per week, totaling 90 minutes of moderate-intensity activity. Consistent with the ESG cohort, exercise intensity is maintained at 40% of the individual's maximal aerobic capacity to ensure physiological equivalence between groups. Receives: Behavioral: Traditional Exercise Group (TEG) |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Decision Fatigue and Cognitive Load (DFCL)
This outcome assesses the depletion of self-regulatory resources and the cognitive strain resulting from executive function demands. It utilizes a validated psychometric instrument to evaluate task-switching costs and perceived mental exertion following daily activities.
Measured: Within 24 hours post-intervention.
Perceived Stress (PS)
This outcome measures the subjective psychological distress experienced by participants. It evaluates the extent to which participants perceive situations in their lives as uncontrollable, unpredictable, and overloaded, as assessed by the standardized Perceived Stress Scale (PSS).
Measured: Within 24 hours post-intervention.
Physical Activity Enjoyment (PAE)
This outcome evaluates the participant's affective response to the assigned exercise modality. It captures factors such as acute enjoyment, perceived satisfaction, and the psychological impact of logistical friction associated with the specific exercise protocol (ESG vs. TEG).
Measured: Within 24 hours post-intervention.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted24 Jun 2026
- Study start16 Mar 2026
- Primary completion16 Jun 2026
- Study completion16 Jun 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Psychological StressStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- The study is a 4-week longitudinal randomized controlled trial (RCT) designed to compare the psychometric outcomes of two distinct exercise modalities: a high-frequency "Exercise Snacks" (ESG) protocol and a traditional continuous exercise (TEG) model. The research aims to evaluate the behavioral and psychological divergence between these two paradigms regarding their impact on cognitive load and perceived stress.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 199 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Lincoln University College
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Wuhan University of Technology
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Linjun Liu, Lincoln University College
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07666893
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- WTU-TMB-260316
- Acronym
- ES
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 18 Jun 2026
- Last updated
- 24 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: There is no plan to share individual participant data to protect the privacy of the participants and ensure data security.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 24 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Psychological Impacts of Exercise Snacks Versus Traditional Exercise: A Comparative Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07666893
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- ES / WTU-TMB-260316
- Keywords
- Attention Restoration Theory, Psychophysiological Restoration
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 199 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Lincoln University CollegeUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Wuhan University of Technology
- Study start
- 16 Mar 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 16 Jun 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 16 Jun 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 24 Jun 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study investigates the comparative psychological impacts of a high-frequency "Exercise Snacks" (ESG) protocol versus a traditional continuous exercise (TEG) regimen on healthy young adults. Utilizing a randomized controlled trial design over a 4-week longitudinal period, 180 participants were allocated into two groups of 90, with a standby recruitment protocol employed to ensure sample size stability.
The intervention was standardized to equate total weekly exercise volume at 90 minutes. The TEG cohort performed 30-minute continuous cycling sessions three times per week, whereas the ESG cohort executed 15-minute distributed cycling sessions six times per week. To ensure physiological homogeneity and precision in workload prescription, individual baseline maximal aerobic capacity was assessed via incremental cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Based on these individual thresholds, exercise intensity for both cohorts was rigorously maintained at 40% of their respective maximal aerobic capacity throughout the intervention.
Psychometric outcomes were evaluated within 24 hours of the intervention's conclusion, focusing on three dimensions: Perceived Stress, Decision Fatigue and Cognitive Load, and Physical Activity Enjoyment. By applying Lazarus and Folkman's Transactional Model of Stress and Coping, Sweller's Cognitive Load Theory, and Self-Determination Theory, this research examines how fragmented exercise protocols interact with daily workflow and self-regulatory resources. The findings provide critical insights into the real-world viability, behavioral resistance, and psychological divergence associated with high-frequency, fragmented exercise routines compared to conventional models.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- The study is a 4-week longitudinal randomized controlled trial (RCT) designed to compare the psychometric outcomes of two distinct exercise modalities: a high-frequency "Exercise Snacks" (ESG) protocol and a traditional continuous exercise (TEG) model. The research aims to evaluate the behavioral and psychological divergence between these two paradigms regarding their impact on cognitive load and perceived stress.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise Snacks Group (ESG) | Experimental | Behavioral: Exercise Snacks Group (ESG)Participants in this group perform high-frequency, fragmented exercise sessions. The protocol consists of six 15-minute cycling sessions per week, totaling 90 minutes of moderate-intensity activity. The exercise intensity is strictly regulated at 40% of the individual's maximal aerobic capacity, monitored via electronically braked cycle ergometers. |
| Traditional Exercise Group (TEG) | Active comparator | Behavioral: Traditional Exercise Group (TEG)Participants in this group follow a structured, continuous exercise protocol. The intervention involves three 30-minute sessions of continuous cycling per week, totaling 90 minutes of moderate-intensity activity. Consistent with the ESG cohort, exercise intensity is maintained at 40% of the individual's maximal aerobic capacity to ensure physiological equivalence between groups. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 30 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Healthy young adults (aged 18-30).
- Body composition within the healthy range (12%-25% for males; 18%-33% for females).
- Able and willing to provide informed consent and adhere to the 4-week exercise protocol.
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Pre-existing cardiovascular, metabolic, or chronic respiratory conditions.
- History of musculoskeletal injuries that prevent safe participation in cycling.
- Current engagement in regular, structured exercise exceeding 60 minutes per week.
- Use of medications or substances known to significantly influence heart rate, cognitive performance, or stress responses.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise Snacks Group (ESG)Participants perform high-frequency, fragmented exercise consisting of six 15-minute cycling sessions per week, totaling 90 minutes of weekly activity. The exercise intensity is strictly prescribed and maintained at 40% of the individual's maximal aerobic capacity, as determined by preliminary cardiopulmonary testing. All sessions are conducted on digitized, electronically braked stationary ergometers to ensure precise, real-time monitoring of power output and strict adherence to the prescribed workload. | Behavioural | Exercise Snacks Group (ESG) |
| Traditional Exercise Group (TEG)Participants perform structured, continuous exercise consisting of three 30-minute cycling sessions per week, totaling 90 minutes of weekly activity. To ensure physiological equivalence, the exercise intensity is also strictly maintained at 40% of the individual's maximal aerobic capacity. Participants utilize the same digitized, electronically braked stationary ergometers as the ESG group to ensure consistent monitoring of exercise duration and intensity throughout the 4-week intervention period. | Behavioural | Traditional Exercise Group (TEG) |
Primary outcome
Decision Fatigue and Cognitive Load (DFCL)
Time frame: Within 24 hours post-intervention.
This outcome assesses the depletion of self-regulatory resources and the cognitive strain resulting from executive function demands. It utilizes a validated psychometric instrument to evaluate task-switching costs and perceived mental exertion following daily activities.
Perceived Stress (PS)
Time frame: Within 24 hours post-intervention.
This outcome measures the subjective psychological distress experienced by participants. It evaluates the extent to which participants perceive situations in their lives as uncontrollable, unpredictable, and overloaded, as assessed by the standardized Perceived Stress Scale (PSS).
Physical Activity Enjoyment (PAE)
Time frame: Within 24 hours post-intervention.
This outcome evaluates the participant's affective response to the assigned exercise modality. It captures factors such as acute enjoyment, perceived satisfaction, and the psychological impact of logistical friction associated with the specific exercise protocol (ESG vs. TEG).
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 24 Jun 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. There is no plan to share individual participant data to protect the privacy of the participants and ensure data security.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Exercise Snacks Group (ESG) and Traditional Exercise Group (TEG) in people with Psychological Stress and Mental Fatigue, run by Lincoln University College at 1 site in China.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 24 Jun 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in China. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Decision Fatigue and Cognitive Load (DFCL) (time frame: Within 24 hours post-intervention.). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 24 Jun 2026.