Effects of Hourly Stair-Climbing Exercise Snacks on Metabolic and Vascular Health in Adults With Prediabetes

Part of paid clinical trials in St Louis, Missouri.

Sponsor
St. Louis University
Study ID
NCT07847684
Status
Recruiting
Apply to this trial

Conditions

  • Prediabetes

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - 69 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Hourly 3-Minute Light Walking Breaks — BEHAVIORAL
    Participants will interrupt prolonged sitting with a 3-minute light walking break at approximately 30, 90, 150, 210, 270, and 330 minutes during the approximately 6-hour experimental visit. Activity breaks are therefore separated by approximately 60 minutes. Participants will otherwise remain seated except as required for study procedures.
  • Hourly Stair-Climbing Exercise Snacks — BEHAVIORAL
    Participants will interrupt prolonged sitting with brief stair-climbing exercise snacks at approximately 30, 90, 150, 210, 270, and 330 minutes during the approximately 6-hour experimental visit. During each bout, participants will ascend approximately three flights of stairs at a fast but safe self-selected pace for about 20 seconds. Participants will not run or skip steps, and use of the handrail will be permitted as needed.

Study Details

This study will examine whether very short bouts of stair climbing performed throughout the day can improve blood sugar control and cardiovascular health in adults with prediabetes. Participants will complete three separate study visits in random order: uninterrupted sitting, sitting interrupted by 3-minute light walking breaks each hour, and sitting interrupted by brief stair-climbing exercise "snacks" each hour. During each visit, the research team will measure glucose, insulin, blood lipids, markers of inflammation and oxidative stress, and blood-vessel function. Continuous glucose monitors, blood samples, heart-rate and blood-pressure measurements, vascular ultrasound, and questionnaires will be used to assess the participants' responses. The goal of the study is to determine whether brief stair-climbing breaks may be a practical way to reduce the negative effects of prolonged sitting and improve metabolic health in adults with prediabetes.

Key Dates

First listed
Sep 29, 2026
Start date
Oct 31, 2026
Status verified
Sep 2026
Primary completion
Jul 31, 2027
Completion
Jul 31, 2027

Study Design

Enrollment
20 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
TREATMENT

Arms

  • No Intervention: Uninterrupted Sitting
    Participants will remain seated throughout the approximately 6-hour experimental visit, except as needed for study procedures. At the time points corresponding to activity bouts in the walking and stair-climbing conditions, participants will remain seated. This condition serves as the sedentary control condition.
  • Active Comparator: Hourly 3-Minute Light Walking Breaks
    Participants will interrupt prolonged sitting with a 3-minute light walking break at approximately 30, 90, 150, 210, 270, and 330 minutes during the approximately 6-hour experimental visit. Walking breaks will therefore occur at 60-minute intervals.
  • Experimental: Hourly Stair-Climbing Exercise Snacks
    Participants will interrupt prolonged sitting with brief stair-climbing exercise snacks at approximately 30, 90, 150, 210, 270, and 330 minutes during the approximately 6-hour experimental visit. During each bout, participants will ascend approximately three flights of stairs at a fast but safe self-selected pace for about 20 seconds.

Primary Outcome Measure

6-Hour Postprandial Glucose Area Under the Curve (AUC) [ Time Frame: From fasting baseline before Meal 1 through 360 minutes after Meal 1 completion ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Saint Louis UniversitySt LouisMissouri63104
Hossein Rafiei, PhD
[email protected]
314-977-8675

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By research site
Saint Louis University· St Louis, MO

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