Breakfast glycaemic index and exercise: Combined effects on adolescents' cognition

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine the combined effects of breakfast glycaemic index (GI) and a mid-morning bout of exercise on adolescents' cognitive function.Participants were randomly allocated to a high or low GI breakfast group in a mixed research design, where each participant completed two experimental trials (exercise and resting). Average heart rate during exercise was 170±15 beats . min -1 . On the complex level of the Stroop test, response times improved across the morning following the low GI breakfast on both the exercise and resting trials, though the improvement was greatest on the exercise trial.However, response times only improved on the resting trial following the high GI breakfast (p = 0.012). On the 5 letter level of the Sternberg paradigm, response times improved across the morning following the low GI breakfast (regardless of exercise) and only on the exercise trial following the high GI breakfast (p = 0.019).The findings of the present study suggest that the combined effects of breakfast GI and exercise in adolescents depend upon the component of cognitive function examined. A low GI breakfast and mid-morning bout of exercise were individually beneficial for response times on the Sternberg paradigm, whereas they conferred additional benefits for response times on the Stroop test.

Physical Activity, Fitness, Cognitive Function, and Academic Achievement in Children

“…Sample sizes have ranged from 20 to 1,274, with students ranging in age from six to 13 years. Findings from studies conducted in laboratory settings (n=9) are mixed, with three failing to definitively support (45, 62, 152) and six supporting (11, 31, 61, 66, 86, 160) beneficial effects on tasks that measure both speed and accuracy. All of the studies supporting beneficial effects used a version of the flankers test or a measure of choice reaction time for their cognitive measure.…”

The Effect of Breakfast Prior to Morning Exercise on Cognitive Performance, Mood and Appetite Later in the Day in Habitually Active Women

“…Additional research is needed to explore further how pre-exercise nutrition may impact on post-exercise wellbeing and performance of daily activities. This research could focus on the glycaemic index (GI) or macronutrient content of the breakfast consumed; initial data suggests that the GI of breakfast consumed prior to exercise may affect cognition depending on the domain being observed [ 58 ] and that a high-energy CHO drink does not appear to elicit positive mood changes during exercise in women [ 59 ]. It would also be interesting to investigate whether a breakfast split between pre and post-exercise would elicit further benefits.…”

Sprint-based exercise and cognitive function in adolescents

“…Participants were provided with sound cancelling headphones to minimise external disturbances. The same testing procedure has been previously used successfully in a similar study population ( Cooper et al, 2011 , Cooper et al, 2012a , Cooper et al, 2012b , Cooper et al, 2015 ) and the tests were administered in the order they are described here.…”

“…The 20 item questionnaire was split into four components of mood; energy, tiredness, tension and calmness, each having five corresponding adjectives on the questionnaire. The original AD ACL short form was piloted in an adolescent population and subsequently five of the adjectives were changed to ensure suitability for the study population, with the modified version being previously used successfully in a similar study population ( Cooper et al, 2011 , Cooper et al, 2012a , Cooper et al, 2012b , Cooper et al, 2015 ). Participants were asked to respond to a series of adjectives regarding how they felt at that moment in time, on a scale of 1 to 5 (where 1: definitely do not feel, 3: unsure, 5: definitely feel).…”