Exercise improves executive function and achievement and alters brain activation in overweight children: A randomized, controlled trial.

Abstract

Objective This experiment tested the hypothesis that exercise would improve executive function. Design Sedentary, overweight 7- to 11-year-old children (N = 171, 56% female, 61% Black, M ± SD age 9.3 ± 1.0 yrs, body mass index (BMI) 26 ± 4.6 kg/m2, BMI z-score 2.1 ± 0.4) were randomized to 13 ± 1.6 weeks of an exercise program (20 or 40 minutes/day), or a control condition. Main outcome measures Blinded, standardized psychological evaluations (Cognitive Assessment System and Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement III) assessed cognition and academic achievement. Functional magnetic resonance imaging measured brain activity during executive function tasks. Results Intent to treat analysis revealed dose response benefits of exercise on executive function and mathematics achievement. Preliminary evidence of increased bilateral prefrontal cortex activity and reduced bilateral posterior parietal cortex activity due to exercise was also observed. Conclusion Consistent with results obtained in older adults, a specific improvement on executive function and brain activation changes due to exercise were observed. The cognitive and achievement results add evidence of dose response, and extend experimental evidence into childhood. This study provides information on an educational outcome. Besides its importance for maintaining weight and reducing health risks during a childhood obesity epidemic, physical activity may prove to be a simple, important method of enhancing aspects of children’s mental functioning that are central to cognitive development. This information may persuade educators to implement vigorous physical activity.

Society of Behavioral Medicine position statement: elementary school-based physical activity supports academic achievement

“…activity improves cardiorespiratory fitness and mood and results in brain changes [4]. Regular physical activity improves executive function, and acute bouts improve attention and time on task [3,18].…”

“…Regular physical activity improves cognitive function, induces brain changes, and improves mood in children, in addition to improving their aerobic fitness [3][4][5][6][7][8]. Greater aerobic fitness and physical activity are associated cross sectionally with increased grade point averages and standardized test scores [9][10][11].…”

Exercise training for neural recovery in a restricted sample of pediatric brain tumor survivors: a controlled clinical trial with crossover of training versus no training

“…We do note, however, that our sample size and/or participation rate are consistent with prior exercise trials in children. 15,16,32 Because of our relatively small sample size and that our sample of healthy children was only assessed at a single time point, our ability to determine whether the observed training effects reflects normal brain growth is limited. Further, we did identify selection bias in recruitment: we found that patients and families who needed to travel longer periods of time to participate in group sessions were underrepresented in our sample (see Supplemental Material online).…”

“…11 Clinical trials have demonstrated that aerobic exercise training can foster brain growth, slow cognitive decline in normal and pathological aging, [12][13][14] and enhance brain and cognitive function in healthy and obese children. 15,16 Given the promising results linking exercise with brain health, it is surprising that limited work has examined its therapeutic effects for brain recovery in pediatric brain tumor survivors. Although exercise training has been linked to improved cognitive performance in adults with traumatic brain injury, stroke, and multiple sclerosis, these trials have not assessed changes in the brain.…”

Examining the Moderating Effects of Executive function on Transtheoretical Model Utilization to Predict Physical Activity

“…Although the TTM has been shown to be effective in promoting physical activity across various populations including children/adolescents [3], adults in the general population [4], and adults with chronic disease [5], it is plausible that executive function may moderate the utility of the TTM in predicting physical activity. This plausibility stems from the fact that the previous research demonstrates that executive function improvement is associated with increased physical activity [6] and decreased sedentary behavior [7]. Executive functioning (EF) is defined as managing cognitive processes including working memory, cognitive flexibility, response selection, planning, and execution of tasks [8].…”