SynthesisEuropean geriatric medicine2026
The safety, acceptability, and effectiveness of home-based 'exercise snacking' for improving physical function of older adults: a systematic review.
Synthesis in European geriatric medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundExercise snacking has emerged as a new method of training to improve physical function in older adults. However, the safety, acceptability, and effectiveness of home-based exercise snacking interventions in this population have not been specifically or systematically evaluated.
methodsA systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science from database inception to May 1, 2026. Randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, and controlled before-and-after studies investigating home-based exercise snacking interventions in adults aged 60 years and older were included. Eligible interventions consisted of multiple short bouts (1-10 min) of structured exercise performed at least twice daily at home. Outcomes related to physical function, safety, and acceptability were extracted. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane RoB2 tool for randomized trials and the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist for quasi-experimental studies.
resultsEight studies (n = 317 participants), primarily conducted in the United Kingdom, China, Korea, and Australia, met the inclusion criteria. Improvements in physical function outcomes-including lower limb strength, balance, and functional mobility-were generally reported compared to baseline or control conditions. Adherence and acceptability were high, ranging from approximately 80 to 115%. Values exceeding 100% reflected participants completing more exercise sessions than prescribed in some studies. Metabolic outcomes were infrequently reported; one study observed reductions in fasting glucose following the intervention, with no significant differences between exercise modalities. Reported adverse events were rare and minor. However, the evidence base remains limited, with relatively few robust studies and modest sample sizes.
conclusionsHome-based exercise snacking may represent a safe, feasible, and acceptable intervention to improve physical function in older adults. However, the current evidence base remains limited. Larger, well-designed trials are needed to confirm its effectiveness, safety, and long-term adherence.
Indexed as
Identifiers
42295664What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.