{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,24]],"date-time":"2026-07-24T06:02:51Z","timestamp":1784872971785,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,24]],"date-time":"2026-07-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1784851200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"\n Background<\/jats:title>\n Snacktivity approach helps reduce sedentary behavior, increase awareness of opportunities for movement, and provide a practical alternative for individuals experiencing time-related barriers to exercise participation through short, integrated physical activity sessions in daily life. However, the effects of short-term Snacktivity-based interventions on university students remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of a brief Snacktivity-based training intervention on physical activity levels, exercise self-efficacy, processes of exercise behavior change, and stages of change in university students.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n \n This controlled study included 196 undergraduate students in the final analysis (Snacktivity group,\n n<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f98; control group,\n n<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f98). The intervention group participated in a single Snacktivity educational session and received a brochure containing practical examples of daily activity snacks. Physical activity levels were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF). Exercise Processes of Change Scale (EPCS), Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale, and Exercise Stages of Change Scale were used to evaluate behavioral and psychological factors related to exercise. Assessments were completed at baseline and after a 2-week follow-up period.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n \n Moderate-intensity physical activity significantly increased, while sitting time significantly decreased in the Snacktivity group following the intervention (\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f0.007 and\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f0.030, respectively). In addition, counter conditioning scores significantly increased in the Snacktivity group (\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f0.033), whereas self re-evaluation and self-liberation scores significantly decreased in the control group (\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f0.001 and\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f0.034, respectively). Following the intervention, the Snacktivity group showed a slight increase from the preparation stage to the action stage, indicating a tendency toward more regular physical activity behavior. In contrast, the control group showed an increase in the contemplation stage. However, the between-group comparison was not statistically significant (\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f0.102). No significant changes were observed in vigorous-intensity physical activity, total physical activity, exercise self-efficacy, or total EPCS scores (\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f&gt;\u202f0.05) in the Snacktivity group.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n A brief Snacktivity-based educational intervention may positively influence moderate-intensity physical activity participation, sitting time, and certain behavioral processes associated with exercise behavior change among university students. These findings suggest that even a single-session Snacktivity education may support movement-oriented behavior in university students.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1885563","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,24]],"date-time":"2026-07-24T05:36:09Z","timestamp":1784871369000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Effects of a brief Snacktivity-based educational intervention on physical activity and exercise behavior among university students"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Zeliha","family":"\u00c7elik","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Amasya University Faculty of Health Science","place":["Amasya, T\u00fcrkiye"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zeynep Pelin","family":"D\u00fcndar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Nezahat Kelesoglu Faculty of Health Sciences, Necmettin Erbakan University","place":["Konya, T\u00fcrkiye"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1451","DOI":"10.1136\/bjsports-2020-102955","article-title":"World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour","volume":"54","author":"Bull","year":"2020","journal-title":"Br J Sports Med"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"12225","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph191912225","article-title":"The influence of motivators and barriers to exercise on attaining physical activity and sedentary time guidelines among Canadian undergraduate students","volume":"19","author":"Pellerine","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public 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