Intellectual DisabilityNCT07759232
Effects of Exercise Snacks on Physical Health and Cognitive Function in Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities
A study testing High-Intensity Interval Training and Exercise Snacks in people with Intellectual Disability, run by University of Macau at 1 site in China.
Trial summary
Intellectual disability (ID) is a neurodevelopmental disorder accompanied by sedentary lifestyles, which worsens cognitive function and physical health. Short-duration high-frequency exercise snacks (ES) may be a feasible intervention for adults with ID. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 35 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Intellectual Disability
- What is being tested?
- High-Intensity Interval Training and Exercise Snacks
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 24 participants
- Where
- 1 siteChina
- Study dates
- 16 Nov 2026to 8 Feb 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 35 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Aged 18-35 years old;
- Clinically diagnosed mild to moderate intellectual disability;
- Able to follow simple verbal instructions and complete exercise protocols;
- No contraindications for moderate physical activity confirmed by medical inquiry;
- Participants or legal guardians provide written informed consent;
- Maintain stable daily routine and do not participate in other structured exercise programs during the trial.
Who cannot join
- Severe physical disabilities, orthopedic injury or neurological disorders that restrict movement;
- History of cardiovascular disease, uncontrolled hypertension or other exercise contraindications;
- Current psychiatric medication that significantly affects motor or cognitive function;
- Inability to cooperate with EEG and physiological signal collection;
- Pregnancy;
- Participation in other interventional studies within the past 3 months.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
China1 site
Hangzhou First Social Welfare Institute
Hangzhou, Zhejiang
Yuping Zhou, master, +86-18811611796, yc57146@um.edu.mo
About this study
Intellectual disability (ID) is a neurodevelopmental disorder accompanied by sedentary lifestyles, which worsens cognitive function and physical health. Short-duration high-frequency exercise snacks (ES) may be a feasible intervention for adults with ID. This randomized controlled crossover study aims to explore the acute effects of exercise snacks, conventional HIIT and daily routine control on cognitive function, stereotyped behaviors and prefrontal cortex activation in adults with mild to moderate ID. All participants will receive three intervention conditions with a 1-week washout period between each trial. Neurophysiological indicators including EEG and heart rate variability will be measured to reveal the underlying mechanisms.
Read the detailed description
Background:
Adults with intellectual disability commonly maintain sedentary daily routines, resulting in progressive decline in physical fitness and cognitive performance. Traditional long-duration exercise interventions are difficult to implement for this population due to behavioral and cognitive limitations. Exercise snacks, consisting of repeated ultra-short exercise bursts, are easy to carry out and show promising benefits for cognition.
Methods:
A randomized controlled crossover design will be adopted. Twenty-four adults aged 18-35 years with mild to moderate ID will complete three conditions in random sequence: no-exercise control, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and exercise snacks (ES). A 1-week washout interval separates different interventions.
Intervention protocols:
- Control: maintain habitual daily activities.
- HIIT: one afternoon session, 10 sets of 6-second high-knee exercise with 9 seconds rest.
- ES: morning and afternoon sessions every day; each session contains 5 sets of 6-second high-knee exercise with 9 seconds rest.
Main measurements include prefrontal cortex activation via EEG, cognitive function, stereotyped behaviors, and heart rate variability. Repeated-measures statistical models will be used for data analysis.
- Conditions
- Intellectual Disability
- Being tested
- High-Intensity Interval Training, Exercise Snacks
- Keywords
- Exercise Snacks, High-intensity Interval Training, Cognitive Function, Physical Activity, Prefrontal Cortex, Neurodevelopmental disorders, intellectual disability
- Medical subject headings
- Intellectual Disability, Motor Activity, Neurodevelopmental Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
High-Intensity Interval TrainingBehavioural
Acute high-intensity interval training protocol: 10 × 6 s high-knee exercise with 9 s rest between sets, completed in a single afternoon session.
Exercise SnacksBehavioural
Twice-daily short-bout exercise snacks. Each session includes 5 sets of 6-second high-knee exercise with 9 seconds rest between sets.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Arm 1 | No intervention | Participants maintain their usual daily activities without additional prescribed exercise. Daily physical activity will be recorded throughout the intervention period. |
| Arm 2（Exercise Snacks） | Experimental | Twice-daily short-bout exercise snacks. Each session includes 5 sets of 6-second high-knee exercise with 9 seconds rest between sets. Receives: Behavioral: Exercise Snacks |
| Arm 3（High-Intensity Interval Training ） | Experimental | One intervention session scheduled in the afternoon. The protocol consists of 10 sets of 6-second high-knee exercise, separated by 9 seconds of rest between sets. Receives: Behavioral: High-Intensity Interval Training |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Changes in cognitive function assessed by cognitive test battery
Changes in cognitive performance measured after each intervention condition, including attention and executive function.
Measured: Baseline and immediately after the acute intervention
Secondary outcomes (1)
Prefrontal cortex activation measured by electroencephalography (EEG)
Changes in prefrontal cortical brain activity indexed by EEG power spectrum during cognitive tasks.
Measured: Baseline and immediately after the acute intervention
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted12 Aug 2026
- Study start16 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion18 Jan 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion8 Feb 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Intellectual DisabilityStudies 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
- Crossover
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 24 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Macau
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Zhaowei Kong, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Macau
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07759232
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- BSE-1553-2026
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 29 Jul 2026
- Last updated
- 12 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: De-identified individual participant data will be available upon reasonable request to the corresponding investigator after study completion and main publication. Data sharing will be subject to a formal data use agreement.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 12 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of Exercise Snacks on Physical Health and Cognitive Function in Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07759232
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- BSE-1553-2026
- Conditions
- Intellectual Disability
- Keywords
- Exercise Snacks, High-intensity Interval Training, Cognitive Function, Physical Activity, Prefrontal Cortex, Neurodevelopmental disorders, intellectual disability
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 24 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of MacauUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 16 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 18 Jan 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 8 Feb 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 12 Aug 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.
Intellectual disability (ID) is a neurodevelopmental disorder accompanied by sedentary lifestyles, which worsens cognitive function and physical health. Short-duration high-frequency exercise snacks (ES) may be a feasible intervention for adults with ID. This randomized controlled crossover study aims to explore the acute effects of exercise snacks, conventional HIIT and daily routine control on cognitive function, stereotyped behaviors and prefrontal cortex activation in adults with mild to moderate ID. All participants will receive three intervention conditions with a 1-week washout period between each trial. Neurophysiological indicators including EEG and heart rate variability will be measured to reveal the underlying mechanisms.
Detailed description
Background:
Adults with intellectual disability commonly maintain sedentary daily routines, resulting in progressive decline in physical fitness and cognitive performance. Traditional long-duration exercise interventions are difficult to implement for this population due to behavioral and cognitive limitations. Exercise snacks, consisting of repeated ultra-short exercise bursts, are easy to carry out and show promising benefits for cognition.
Methods:
A randomized controlled crossover design will be adopted. Twenty-four adults aged 18-35 years with mild to moderate ID will complete three conditions in random sequence: no-exercise control, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and exercise snacks (ES). A 1-week washout interval separates different interventions.
Intervention protocols:
- Control: maintain habitual daily activities.
- HIIT: one afternoon session, 10 sets of 6-second high-knee exercise with 9 seconds rest.
- ES: morning and afternoon sessions every day; each session contains 5 sets of 6-second high-knee exercise with 9 seconds rest.
Main measurements include prefrontal cortex activation via EEG, cognitive function, stereotyped behaviors, and heart rate variability. Repeated-measures statistical models will be used for data analysis.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Arm 1 | No intervention | –Participants maintain their usual daily activities without additional prescribed exercise. Daily physical activity will be recorded throughout the intervention period. |
| Arm 2（Exercise Snacks） | Experimental | Behavioral: Exercise SnacksTwice-daily short-bout exercise snacks. Each session includes 5 sets of 6-second high-knee exercise with 9 seconds rest between sets. |
| Arm 3（High-Intensity Interval Training ） | Experimental | Behavioral: High-Intensity Interval TrainingOne intervention session scheduled in the afternoon. The protocol consists of 10 sets of 6-second high-knee exercise, separated by 9 seconds of rest between sets. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 35 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Aged 18-35 years old;
- Clinically diagnosed mild to moderate intellectual disability;
- Able to follow simple verbal instructions and complete exercise protocols;
- No contraindications for moderate physical activity confirmed by medical inquiry;
- Participants or legal guardians provide written informed consent;
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Severe physical disabilities, orthopedic injury or neurological disorders that restrict movement;
- History of cardiovascular disease, uncontrolled hypertension or other exercise contraindications;
- Current psychiatric medication that significantly affects motor or cognitive function;
- Inability to cooperate with EEG and physiological signal collection;
- Pregnancy;
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 |
|---|---|---|
| High-Intensity Interval TrainingAcute high-intensity interval training protocol: 10 × 6 s high-knee exercise with 9 s rest between sets, completed in a single afternoon session. | Behavioural | Arm 3（High-Intensity Interval Training ） |
| Exercise SnacksTwice-daily short-bout exercise snacks. Each session includes 5 sets of 6-second high-knee exercise with 9 seconds rest between sets. | Behavioural | Arm 2（Exercise Snacks） |
Primary outcome
Changes in cognitive function assessed by cognitive test battery
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the acute intervention
Changes in cognitive performance measured after each intervention condition, including attention and executive function.
1 secondary outcome
Prefrontal cortex activation measured by electroencephalography (EEG)
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the acute intervention
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 12 Aug 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. De-identified individual participant data will be available upon reasonable request to the corresponding investigator after study completion and main publication. Data sharing will be subject to a formal data use agreement.
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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.
Zhaowei Kong, PhD principal investigator
University of Macau
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing High-Intensity Interval Training and Exercise Snacks in people with Intellectual Disability, run by University of Macau 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 6 inclusion and 6 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: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 12 Aug 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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Yuping Zhou, master (+86-18811611796, yc57146@um.edu.mo), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Changes in cognitive function assessed by cognitive test battery (time frame: Baseline and immediately after the acute intervention). 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 12 Aug 2026.