Impacts of coordinative training on normal weight and overweight/obese children’s attentional performance

Abstract

This study investigated the efficacy of a physical activity (PA) program to improve the attention span in normal weight vs. overweight/obese children. The study was designed as a cluster-randomized controlled intervention. One hundred fifty-seven normal weight and overweight/obese primary school children were randomly divided in three cohorts: Traditional PA, Coordinative PA and a Control group (not attending any PA). Before and after 5 months of intervention, children were administered the d2-R test of attention. Results showed that participants’ attentional performances were significantly affected by Time (pre vs. post; P < 0.01) and by Time × Group interaction (traditional vs. coordinative vs. control; P < 0.001), revealing significant different effects of intervention/exercise modality on children’s attentional performance, independently of their weight status. These data suggest that a 5-month school-based PA intervention can improve the cognitive performance in children. Further, the Coordinative PA intervention resulted in the most significant improvement in children’s attention.

Motor-Enriched Learning Activities Can Improve Mathematical Performance in Preadolescent Children

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Effects of combined physical education and nutritional programs on schoolchildren’s healthy habits

“…Each module focuses on specific coordination abilities found in sports games, rhythmic activities, gymnastics and/or fitness activities. These activities were previously published by our lab ( Gallotta, 2014 ; Gallotta et al, 2014 ; Gallotta et al, 2015 ). The capacities requested were: static and dynamic balance, combination, kinesthetic differentiation, spatial orientation, rhythm and reaction.…”

“…It was primarily focused on endurance, strength, flexibility exercises and circuit training for cardiovascular health ( Decree of the President of the Republic of Italy of 16 November 2012, 2013 ). The specialist PE teacher proposed exercises without high coordinative demands with the main goal of developing children’s physical characteristics ( Gallotta et al, 2015 ), (see Appendix for full protocol description).…”

Improved cognitive performance in preadolescent Danish children after the school‐based physical activity programme “FIFA 11 for Health” for Europe – A cluster‐randomised controlled trial

“…cognitive and motor demands) characteristics, most of the studies have focused on the quantitative characteristics of the physical activity (Drollette et al, 2014;Fisher et al, 2011;Hillman et al, 2009) which have been shown to positively affect the central nervous system through physiological responses to the physical activity (Hillman et al, 2008). Besides studies of quantitative characteristics, recent studies have also highlighted the positive effect of the qualitative characteristics of the physical activity, suggesting that the type of activity is also important (Budde et al, 2008;Gallotta et al, 2015;Jäger et al, 2014;Pesce et al, 2009). The assumption behind this cognitive stimulation hypothesis is that coordinatively demanding and non-automated movement and sports actions engage the same brain regions that are used to control higher order cognitive processes (Tomporowski et al, 2015).…”