Exercise ‘snacking’ app aims to boost activity levels
An innovative new 'snacking' approach to making daily exercise achievable for more people is being tested in Northamptonshire by NHFT.
Snacktivity works by encouraging people to take healthy exercise in bite-size chunks of two to five minutes, which is considered more manageable than trying to hit an activity target of 30 minutes per day.
That could include anything from walk-and-talk conversations at work, taking stairs instead of the lift, or doing simple exercises while making a cuppa or brushing your teeth.
A national trial is taking place to test the effectiveness of the approach, and NHFT's Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy service has been recruiting patients to take part.
Those selected to join the trial receive a smartwatch (funded by the study sponsors) and access to the Snacktivity app to help them track their exercise 'snacks' over a 12-month period.
The app also gives them handy prompts, exercise ideas and feedback to help them achieve their daily recommended activity levels. The results of the trial will help experts to understand how effective the approach is in encouraging exercise.
Snacktivity is one of a number of different research projects being supported by NHFT - and participation in research is on the increase across the Trust.
Stephen Zingwe, Head of Research and Innovation at NHFT (pictured right), said: "Clinical research is about gathering evidence to improve treatments and outcomes for patients, and it is a key part of the everyday work of the NHS.
"We're committed to raising awareness of the importance of research among both our colleagues and service users - and it's really encouraging to see this bearing fruit, with more than twice as many research projects happening in the Trust this year compared with the previous 12 months. By participating in research, we are helping to invest in better healthcare for everyone."
NHFT research in numbers
28 research projects in 2025/26
115% increase from 2024/25