The application and innovation of exercise snacking in physical education

This review conducted a systematic search of the Web of Science database using the keywords "exercise snacks" and "exercise snacking" (ES). The search covered the period from January 2014 to December 2025. A total of 793 articles were initially identified. After excluding duplicates, records with irrelevant information, non-student populations, individuals with underlying health conditions, literature reviews, and non-research articles, 8 high-quality studies focusing on student populations were ultimately included. The findings of the included studies indicate that, within the current perspective of physical education, ES primarily takes the form of equipment-free, low-environment-dependency exercises such as stair climbing and sprint running. To address the limitations of these single-modality movements in terms of enjoyment and long-term adherence, future research may develop diverse and gamified bodyweight training movements and aerobic exercises, thereby further enriching the exercise options available to students.