The Effects of Diverse Exercise on Cognition and Mental Health of Children Aged 5-6 Years: A Controlled Trial

Physical Activity and Cognitive Performance in Early Childhood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

BACKGROUND

Growing evidence suggests that physical activity (PA) could improve cognitive performance in youths, but whether these effects occur from early childhood remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To summarize evidence on the effects of PA interventions on cognitive performance in early childhood.

METHODS

We performed a systematic search in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and PsycINFO (from inception to 6 September 2023) for randomized controlled trials assessing the effects of PA interventions (≥ 3 weeks) on cognitive-related outcomes in early childhood (3-6 years). We conducted a random-effects meta-analysis when five or more studies assessed a given outcome. The potential moderating role of participant (e.g., age) and intervention characteristics (e.g., duration, volume, intensity, cognitive engagement) was also assessed.

RESULTS

We found a total of 24 studies (N = 3483 children) that were deemed to be of overall fair methodological quality. PA interventions were supervised and lasted between 3 and 24 weeks. The most common session duration was 30 min, with a frequency of two sessions per week. Pooled analyses revealed that PA interventions have positive effects on all analysed outcomes, including attention (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.18-0.79, p = 0.002), inhibition (SMD = 0.45, 95% CI 0.06-0.84, p = 0.022), working memory (SMD = 0.50, 95% CI 0.18-0.82, p = 0.002), cognitive flexibility (SMD = 0.39, 0.15-0.62, p = 0.002) and vocabulary (SMD = 1.18, 0.19-2.16, p = 0.019). Sensitivity analyses confirmed the benefits in all cases except for inhibition (p = 0.062). No consistent differences were found relating to any moderator variable.

CONCLUSIONS

Although further research is warranted, our findings suggest that PA interventions may improve cognitive performance in early childhood, particularly in the domains of attention, inhibition, working memory, cognitive flexibility and vocabulary. These findings might support the implementation of PA interventions from early childhood.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION

CRD42021249319.

Relations between the levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity, BMI, dietary habits, cognitive functions and attention problems in 8 to 9 years old pupils: network analysis (PACH Study)

BACKGROUND

Physical activity (PA) and dietary habits (DH) play a crucial role on quality of life and health outcomes from various aspects.

METHODS

This study aims to investigate the relations between recommended daily levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in 8 to 9 year old pupils, and their body mass index (BMI), DH, cognitive functions and attention problem scores by network analysis. Study participants were split into two groups based on their MVPA levels on weekdays.

RESULTS

Our findings suggest that children who reach recommended MVPA levels consume more vegetables and fruits, eat breakfast more frequently, have better motor speed and lower impulsivity score.

CONCLUSIONS

The number of interlinkages between various parameters in network structure for children who do not reach recommended MVPA levels is greater and more intense, highlighting the differences between the groups and suggesting that different interventions and approaches to improve/change lifestyle habits might be used.

Do acute and chronic physical activity interventions affect the cognitive function of preschool children? A meta-analysis

This meta-analysis aims to investigate the effects of acute and chronic physical activity (PA) interventions on multiple domains of cognitive function (CF) in preschool children. Electronic databases (PsycINFO, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Embase, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and ERIC) were searched for relevant studies between January 2000 and February 2022. Studies that examined the effects of acute or chronic physical activity interventions on CF in preschool children aged 2-6 years were included. A total of 16 articles were eligible for this meta-analysis. Results showed that there was no effect of acute PA interventions on CF (Hedges' g = 0.04; 95% CI = -0.12, 0.19). Chronic PA interventions had a moderate and positive effect on overall CF (Hedges' g = 0.49; 95% CI = 0.29, 0.69), a large effect on perception (Hedges' g = 1.19; 95% CI = 0.64, 1.75), and a moderate effect on inhibitory control (Hedges' g = 0.73; 95% CI = 0.22, 1.24). The moderator analyses showed that overall CF performance was significantly moderated by intervention modality and assessment of cognitive outcomes, and no other moderator (study design, sample size, frequency, duration, and session length) was found to have an effect. Chronic PA intervention might be a promising way to promote multiple aspects of CF, especially executive function and perception. Future studies should explore the effect of different intensities of PA on the CF of preschool children to discern the most effective PA prescription to, in turn, enhance the CF of preschool children.

A comparison of the effects of remote coaching HIIT training and combined exercise training on the physical and mental health of university students

Aim

To compare the differences in the effects of based on remote coached high intensity interval training and combined exercise training on the physical and mental health of university students.

Method

Sixty university students were recruited from Shandong Normal University and randomly divided into HIIT group (n = 30) and AR group (n = 30), with the HIIT group using high-intensity interval training intervention and the AR group using combined exercise (aerobic combined with resistance) training intervention for 8 weeks. Mental health indicators, fitness indicators and body composition indicators were measured at the beginning and end of the intervention.

Results

After 8 weeks, among the mental health indicators, the results of the Symptom Self-Rating Scale (SCL-90) test showed a significant improvement in the HIIT group in terms of total score, somatization, obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, hostility, and psychoticism (p < 0.05); the AR group showed significant improvements in psychoticism (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups. The results of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scale (PSQI) showed a significant difference in sleep efficiency in the HIIT group with an inverse improvement in scores; the AR group showed no significant improvement in each test item. The results of the between-group covariance showed significant differences in sleep efficiency and hypnotic drugs in the HIIT group (p < 0.05). Among the fitness indicators, the HIIT group showed significant improvements in maximum oxygen uptake, grip strength and flexibility (P < 0.05); the AR group showed significant improvements in back muscle strength and flexibility (P < 0.05). The results of the between-group covariance showed significant improvements in maximum oxygen uptake in the HIIT group (P < 0.01). Regarding body composition indicators, there was a significant improvement in Body weight, BMI, Body fat percentage and Waist-to-hip ratio in both the HIIT and AR groups (P < 0.01). There were no significant differences between the two groups.

Conclusion

HIIT and combined exercise training based on remote coaching had some improvement on fitness level and body composition of university students, HIIT was more advantageous in improving aerobic endurance, and HIIT based on remote coaching may have better effect than combined exercise in mental health.

Trial registration

Chinese Clinical Trial Register, ChiECRCT20220149. Registered on 16 May 2022.

An ecological dynamics perspective on designing urban nature environments for wellbeing and health-enhancing physical activity

The latest World Health Organization report on green and blue space and mental health (2021) calls for greater, and better, urban nature environments, i. e., “wilder” urban parks, tree-laden sidewalks, and overall presence of nature in the urban environment. Evidence shows that living close to and interacting with nature promotes benefits to numerous health and well-being indicators. The present article narratively reviews what are the aspects of urban nature environments that enhance health and wellbeing markers, which aspects are preferred among users and visitors of urban nature environments, and how can the benefits for health and wellbeing be understood from a theoretical perspective. Finally, guided by the ecological dynamics framework, suggestions are put forward on how designers and planners of urban nature environments can consider affordances to promote physical activity behavior, health and wellbeing; and how exercise and health researchers and professionals may channel the interaction of individuals with the nature environment in their interventions and programs.