Two-Week Stair-Climbing Exercise Snacks and Metabolic Health in Adults With Overweight or Obesity: A Pilot Study
Effects of a Two-Week Stair-Climbing "Exercise Snacks" Intervention on Body Composition, Cardiovascular Fitness, and Metabolic Responses in Overweight and Obese Adults: A Pilot Study
Who can join
As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.
- Age
- 18 Years to 35 Years
- Sex
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Compensation
- Not stated
Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.
What to expect
No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.
What participation involves
- Time periods mentioned: 14 days
Only what the study's summary and detailed description on ClinicalTrials.gov say. Time periods may describe the whole study or a part of it — ask the study team what applies to you.
Show the study's own words
- "Participants will complete approximately 6-8 brief stair-climbing "exercise snacks" per day for 14 days, with each bout consisting of approximately 60 total stair steps performed at a challenging but safe self-selected pace."
- "They will perform approximately 6-8 stair-climbing bouts per day for approximately 14 days."
- Compensation
- Not stated
- Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
- Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
- Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
- Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.
About this study
In plain language
This study tests whether short stair-climbing breaks over two weeks can improve blood sugar, fitness, and other health measures. It is for adults ages 18–35 with overweight or obesity who do not exercise regularly. Participants will climb about 60 steps per break, 6–8 times a day for 14 days, and have tests at Saint Louis University before and after.
This pilot study will evaluate whether brief bouts of stair climbing performed throughout the day for two weeks can improve metabolic health, cardiovascular fitness, and other health-related outcomes in adults with overweight or obesity who do not regularly exercise. Participants will complete approximately 6-8 brief stair-climbing "exercise snacks" per day for 14 days, with each bout consisting of approximately 60 total stair steps performed at a challenging but safe self-selected pace. Participants will complete baseline and post-intervention assessments at Saint Louis University. These assessments will include continuous glucose monitoring and standardized meal testing to evaluate glucose responses, as well as measures of aerobic fitness, anaerobic power, body composition, waist circumference, and muscular strength. The study will also evaluate adherence, perceived exercise intensity, and the feasibility of incorporating brief stair-climbing bouts into daily life.
Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.
Eligibility
Who can join
- Be ages 18–35 and able to understand and agree to join the study.
- Have a body mass index (BMI, a measure based on height and weight) of 25.0–34.99 and be otherwise healthy, with no long-term disease.
- For the past 3 months, have not regularly done planned exercise for at least 30 minutes at a time, 3 or more days a week.
- Have access to safe stairs for about 60 steps per break. Going up 60 steps is preferred, but you may repeat flights of stairs.
- Have no findings on the exercise safety questionnaire or health history check that make exercise unsafe or raise your risk.
Who can't join
- Have a known heart, lung, blood sugar or other metabolism, kidney, nerve, muscle, or bone disease. Also excluded are signs of exercise risk, such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, fainting or unexplained dizziness during exercise, chest pain with activity, or severe trouble breathing with light-to-moderate activity.
- Take medicines that may affect exercise safety, heart rate, balance, or blood sugar. Examples include insulin, other blood sugar medicines, beta-blockers, medicines for an uneven heartbeat, steroids that affect the whole body, or medicines that cause dizziness.
- Have joint or bone problems that repeated stair climbing could make worse.
- Have an allergy, food intolerance, diet restriction, or other condition that makes the study's meal replacement shake unsafe for you.
- Be pregnant or plan to become pregnant during the study.
- Have another physical or mental health condition that the study doctor believes could make participation difficult or unsafe.
- Be in a class taught by a study team member, or be directly supervised, graded, or formally evaluated by someone on the team.
Simplified for readability. The official criteria below are what the study team uses.
Official eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18-35 years and able to provide informed consent. * Body mass index (BMI) 25.0-34.99 kg/m² and otherwise healthy, without chronic disease. * Sedentary or low-active lifestyle, defined as no regular structured exercise ≥3 days/week for ≥30 minutes per session during the past 3 months. * Access to a safe staircase that permits completion of approximately 60 total stair steps per exercise bout. Approximately 60 upward steps are preferred when available; one or more flights may be used repeatedly if needed. * No contraindications or increased-risk findings identified on the PAR-Q+ or health history screening. Exclusion Criteria: * Known cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic, renal, neurological, or musculoskeletal disease, or signs or symptoms suggesting increased risk during vigorous exercise, including diagnosed diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, uncontrolled hypertension, chronic pulmonary disease, kidney disease, fainting or unexplained dizziness during exercise, chest pain with exertion, or severe shortness of breath with mild-to-moderate activity. * Current use of medications that may affect exercise tolerance, heart-rate response, balance, glucose metabolism, or safety during vigorous exercise, including insulin or other glucose-lowering medications, beta-blockers, anti-arrhythmic medications, systemic corticosteroids, or medications that may cause dizziness, impaired balance, or altered exercise response. * Orthopedic or joint conditions that could be aggravated by repeated stair climbing. * Allergy, intolerance, dietary restriction, or other condition preventing safe consumption of the standardized meal replacement shake. * Pregnancy or plans to become pregnant during the study period. * Any other medical or psychological condition that, in the investigator's judgment, could make adherence difficult or place the participant at risk. * Individuals currently enrolled in a course taught by the PI or other study personnel, or who are directly supervised, graded, or formally evaluated by a member of the study team.
Study sites (1)
MO
- Saint Louis University · St Louis, MO 63104Hossein Rafiei, PhD RD · Study contact · 314-977-8675 · hossein.rafiei@health.slu.eduHossein Rafiei, PhD, RD · Principal investigatorMore trials in St Louis