Exploring Perceptions,Barriers,and Facilitators of Participation in an Exercise Snack Intervention Among U.S. Office Workers: Findings From a Pilot Study

Abstract

Purpose

‘Exercise snacks’— brief, intermittent sessions of moderate-to-high intensity activity— offer a novel and promising solution for sedentary office workers. However, perceptions and experiences related to engaging in this approach are limited or largely unknown.

Approach and Participants

This qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews with 20 office workers who completed a pilot exercise snack intervention called Move Often eVeryDay (MOV’D). The sample consisted of 10 participants from the MOV'D intervention group and 10 participants from the self-monitoring group.

Setting

Interviews were conducted remotely via Zoom.

Methods

Interview transcripts were analyzed using open-coded, thematic analysis, with themes and subthemes identified both a priori and inductively during the analysis.

Results

The mean (SD) age of participants was 43.8 (11.3) years, 80% identified as women or transgender women, and 35% reported being Non-Hispanic White. Emergent themes included enjoyment of study components, increased motivation and physical activity awareness, and knowledge gained. Common barriers included time constraints and competing obligations. Facilitators of engagement included behavioral adaptations and the minimal space needed for activities. Key suggestions for future iterations included having more reminders throughout the study, enhanced social connection, and adjustments to intervention materials.

Conclusion

Although exercise snacks are brief and accessible, findings highlight the need to refine the intervention to reduce participation barriers and support long-term habit formation. The insights garnered from the present pilot study offer actionable recommendations for enhancing this and other similar health promotion behavioral interventions.

Trial registration

The trial was registered on May 3, 2022 (before recruitment began) at https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05360485, clinical trial number: NCT05360485.