The Relationship between Physical Activity and Cognition in Children: A Meta-Analysis

Sibley, Benjamin A.; Etnier, Jennifer L.

doi:10.1123/pes.15.3.243

Cited by 955 publications

(832 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…The findings of the present study, that only word reading scores were significantly different between rest and exercise, matches similar studies using the WrAT test exercise that found improved reading comprehension but not spelling or arithmetic [8] or improved spelling and reading scores [10]. These positive benefits could be attributed to the cognitive benefits resulting from physical activity [1,2] particularly immediate and delayed recall [11]. The results also support those of [8,10] in that acute bouts of class based exercise have an adverse effect on arithmetic.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 77%

“…research has shown acute exercise to have beneficial effects on cognition and subsequently academic achievement. It has been suggested that children gain cognitive benefits from physical activity [1,2] with greatest improvements seen in complex mental processing [3]. Standardised achievement in maths and reading [4] as well as increased performance in core academic classes has been reported for children who participate in vigorous physical activity outside of school [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Exercise and academic achievement in children: Effects of acute class-based circuit training

Dickinson¹,

Duncan²,

Eyre³

2018

Hum Mov.

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Purpose. For schools, the increasingly imposed requirement to achieve well in academic tests puts increasing emphasis on improving academic achievement. While treadmill exercise has been shown to have beneficial effects on cognitive function and cycling ergometers produce stronger effect sizes than treadmill running, it is impractical for schools to use these on a whole-class basis. There is a need to examine if more ecologically valid modes of exercise might have a similar impact on academic achievement. Circuit training is one such modality shown to benefit cognitive function and recall ability and is easily operationalised within schools. Methods. In a repeated measures design, twenty-six children (17 boys, 8 girls) aged 10-11 years (mean age 10.3; SD ± 0.46 years) completed the Wide range Achievement Test (WrAT 4) at rest and following 30 minutes of exercise. Results. Standardised scores for word reading were significantly higher post exercise (F(1,18) = 49.9, p = 0.0001) compared to rest. In contrast, standardised scores for sentence comprehension (F(1,18) = 0.078, p = 0.783), spelling (F(1,18) = 4.07, p = 0.06) mathematics (F(1,18) = 1.257, p = 0.277), and reading (F(1,18) = 2.09, p = 0.165) were not significantly different between rest and exercise conditions. Conclusions. The results of the current study suggest acute bouts of circuit based exercise enhances word reading but not other areas of academic ability in 10-11 year old children. These findings support prior research that indicates acute bouts of exercise can selectively improve cognition in children.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 77%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exercise and academic achievement in children: Effects of acute class-based circuit training

Dickinson¹,

Duncan²,

Eyre³

2018

Hum Mov.

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“…Emphasis on educational attainment in childhood as a barrier to PA is a recurrent theme in research with particular ethnic minority groups (e.g., Chinese [48], Middle Eastern [11], Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Black African [17] populations) living in Western countries. Given parental concern about education, relating the benefits of PA to improved concentration and cognitive functioning [49,50] may increase engagement in activities.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ethnic differences in parental attitudes and beliefs about being overweight in childhood

Trigwell

Watson

Murphy

et al. 2013

Health Education Journal

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Background: Guidelines recommend children and young people participate in at least 60 min of physical activity (PA) every day, however, findings from UK studies show PA levels of children vary across ethnic groups. Since parents play an instrumental role in determining children's PA levels, this article aims to explore parental views of children's PA in a multi-ethnic sample living in a large city in the North-West of England. Methods: Six single-ethnic focus groups were conducted with 36 parents of school-aged children (4 to 16 years) with a predominantly low socio-economic status (SES). Parents self-identified their ethnic background as Asian Bangladeshi (n = 5), Black African (n = 4), Black Somali (n = 7), Chinese (n = 6), White British (n = 8) and Yemeni (n = 6). Focus group topics included understanding of PA, awareness of PA guidelines, knowledge of benefits associated with PA and perceived influences on PA in childhood. Data were analysed thematically using QSR NVivo 9.0. Results: Parents from all ethnic groups valued PA and were aware of its benefits, however they lacked awareness of PA recommendations, perceived school to be the main provider for children's PA, and reported challenges in motivating children to be active. At the environmental level, barriers to PA included safety concerns, adverse weather, lack of resources and lack of access. Additional barriers were noted for ethnic groups from cultures that prioritised educational attainment over PA (Asian Bangladeshi, Chinese, Yemeni) and with a Muslim faith (Asian Bangladeshi, Black Somali, Yemeni), who reported a lack of culturally appropriate PA opportunities for girls. Conclusion: Parents from multi-ethnic groups lacked awareness of children's PA recommendations and faced barriers to promoting children's PA out of school, with certain ethnic groups facing additional barriers due to cultural and religious factors. It is recommended children's PA interventions address influences at all socio-ecological levels, and account for differences between ethnic groups.

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“…They concluded that fitter and more active children showed a range of physiological benefits (e.g., greater grey matter volume in the hippocampus, more effective brain activity patterns), performed better on tasks that require executive control and associative memory, and showed higher academic achievement. There is extensive research supporting the finding that physical activity positively correlates to cognitive performance (for reviews, see Barenberg, Berse, & Dutke, 2011;Erickson et al, 2015;Fedewa & Ahn, 2011;Sibley & Etnier, 2003;Tomporowski, Davis, Miller, & Naglieri, 2008). It has become clear from those studies that the type of activity, level of intensity, duration of exercise required, aspects of cognition, and learner characteristics affect the relationship between physical activity and cognitive performance.…”

Section: Effects Of Whole-body Movementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Integrated Physical Exercises and Gestures on Preschool Children’s Foreign Language Vocabulary Learning

et al. 2015

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Research suggests that integrating human movement into a cognitive learning task can be effective for learning due to its cognitive and physiological effects. In this study, the learning effects of enacting words through whole-body movements (i.e., physical exercise) and part-body movements (i.e., gestures) were investigated in a foreign language vocabulary task. Participants were 111 preschool children of 15 childcare centers, who were randomly assigned to one of four conditions. Participants had to learn 14 Italian words in a 4-week teaching program. They were tested on their memory for the words during, directly after, and 6 weeks after the program. In the integrated physical exercise condition, children enacted the actions indicated by the words to be learned in physical exercises. In the non-integrated physical exercise condition children performed physical exercises at the same intensity, but unrelated to the learning task. In the gesturing condition, children enacted the actions indicated by the words to be learned by gesturing while remaining seated. In the conventional condition, children verbally repeated the words while remaining seated. Results confirmed the main hypothesis, indicating that children in the integrated physical exercise condition achieved the highest learning outcomes. Implications of integrated physical exercise programs for preschool children's cognition and health are discussed. AbstractResearch suggests that integrating human movement into a cognitive learning task can

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The Relationship between Physical Activity and Cognition in Children: A Meta-Analysis

Cited by 955 publications

References 18 publications

Exercise and academic achievement in children: Effects of acute class-based circuit training

Exercise and academic achievement in children: Effects of acute class-based circuit training

Ethnic differences in parental attitudes and beliefs about being overweight in childhood

Effects of Integrated Physical Exercises and Gestures on Preschool Children’s Foreign Language Vocabulary Learning

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