Cognitively engaging movement games improve interference control and academic performance in overweight children: A randomized control trial

Effects of exercise intervention on executive function in children with overweight and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Weight control in children depends on executive function. Previous studies have shown that exercise interventions can effectively improve children's executive function. However, the effects of these interventions on children with overweight and obesity remain unclear and require further investigation. This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the effects of exercise interventions on executive function-related indicators in children with overweight and obesity.

Methods

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of exercise interventions on executive functions in children with overweight and obesity were included by searching PubMed, Web of Science, EMbase, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, Scopus, CNKI, China Wanfang, and VIP databases. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool. RevMan 5.4 software was used for effect size pooling, forest plot creation, and subgroup analyses. Stata 16.0 software was employed for publication bias testing and sensitivity analysis. The evidence levels of the results were evaluated using the GRADEpro tool.

Results

This meta-analysis included a total of 13 studies. The results indicate that exercise interventions may help improve executive functions in children with overweight and obesity. Specifically, inhibitory control (standardized mean (SMD) = -0.59, 95% confidence interval (CI) [-0.89 to -0.29], Z = 3.85, P < 0.001) and cognitive flexibility (SMD = -0.54, 95% CI [-1.06 to -0.01], Z = 2.01, P < 0.05) showed moderate effect sizes. Working memory exhibited a smaller effect size (SMD = 0.40, 95% CI [-0.69 to -0.10], Z = 2.61, P < 0.01), while attention did not show significant improvement (SMD = 0.13, 95% CI [-0.39 to 0.65], Z = 0.50, P > 0.05).

Conclusion

The results of this meta-analysis indicate that exercise interventions have significant benefits for inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility in children with overweight and obesity, but the impact on attention is not significant. Moreover, the effects of inhibitory control interventions are influenced by exercise duration, exercise intensity, exercise type, and age.

The effect of exercise intervention on inhibitory function in obese and overweight children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Obese and overweight children and adolescents exhibit significant deficits in inhibitory function compared to their typical-weight peers. There is a high variability in the effectiveness of exercise interventions on inhibitory function in obese and overweight children and adolescents, and clinical protocols lack consistency. This study aims to systematically review the effects of exercise interventions on inhibitory function in obese and overweight children and adolescents.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted on Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, EBSCO, WanFang Database, and China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database (CNKI) to gather randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the impact of exercise interventions on inhibitory function in obese and overweight children and adolescents. The search covered publications from January 2000 to January 8, 2024. Two researchers independently conducted a meta-analysis, screening the literature, extracting information, and assessing the methodological quality of the included studies.

RESULTS

The analysis included 24 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with a total of 1,247 participants. The meta-analysis showed that post-intervention improvements in inhibitory function were significantly greater in the experimental group compared to the control group (SMD = -0.65, 95% CI = -1.01 to -0.29, p < 0.01), indicating a medium effect size. Subgroup analyses indicated that open motor skills (SMD = -0.73, 95% CI = -1.20 to -0.27, p < 0.01), moderate intensity (SMD = -0.80, 95% CI = -1.37 to -0.23, p < 0.01), and long-term regular exercise (SMD = -1.04, 95% CI = -1.47 to -0.62, p < 0.01) were significantly more effective than controls in improving inhibitory function. Both small exercise (SMD = -1.60, 95% CI = -2.25 to -0.94, p < 0.01) and large exercise volume (SMD = -0.85, 95% CI = -1.33 to -0.37, p < 0.01) outperformed the control group. Additionally, Stroop, Flanker, and Go/No-go tasks (SMD = -0.88, -0.62, 0.73, 95% CI = -1.43 to -0.32, -1.09 to -0.15, 0.20 to 1.25, p < 0.01) effectively assessed inhibitory function in obese and overweight children and adolescents.

CONCLUSION

Exercise can improve the inhibitory function of obese and overweight children and adolescents. The effectiveness of this intervention is influenced by exercise type, intensity, and duration. Long-term regular exercise involving open motor skills and moderate intensity yields better results in enhancing the inhibitory function of obese and overweight children and adolescents.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

The protocol of this systematic review was registered with INPLASY. The protocol ID was INPLASY202450061.

The Impact of Different Types of Exercise on Executive Functions in Overweight/Obese Individuals: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis

To compare the effects of different exercise training on executive function (EF) in obese or overweight individuals. PubMed, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, MEDLINE, and CINAHL. The included articles, in English, should have been published from January 2000 to February 2024. All included studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of exercise intervention in overweight or obese populations. The primary outcomes are EFs, which encompass core functions (e.g., inhibitory control, working memory (WM), and cognitive flexibility (CF)) and higher-level functions (e.g., responding, planning, and problem-solving). Therefore, the primary outcomes should include at least one of the above indicators. Additionally, given the focus of many exercise intervention studies on academic performance (AP) in obese adolescents, a secondary outcome includes AP. This meta-analysis synthesizes findings from 20 RCTs published between 2010 and 2023, encompassing a total of 1183 overweight or obese participants. Interventions were categorized into seven types: control training (CT), aerobic exercise (AE), resistance training (RT), coordinated physical activity (CPA), prolonged time of exercise (PTE), high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and AE combined with RT (mix mode, MIX). The surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) results demonstrated the preferable effects of various interventions on EF improvement. SUCRA values indicate that CPA performs best in improving the accuracy and reaction speed of CF, as well as the reaction speed of inhibitory control in children and adolescents. AE shows significant effects in enhancing AP in this population. Additionally, PTE excels in improving CF and inhibitory control in middle-aged and older adults. Through subgroup analysis based on age and intervention duration, we found AE exhibited a significant effect on interventions for the 0-17 age group (SMD = 0.84, 95%CI = 0.31~1.38, p = 0.002) and interventions lasting 8-16 weeks showed significant improvement in EFs (SMD = 0.53, 95%CI = 0.00~1.05, p = 0.048). There was also a significant difference between CPA intervention and CT (SMD = 1.12, 95%CI = 0.45~1.80, p = 0.001) in children and adolescents. Additionally, PTE showed significant effects for middle-aged adults aged 17-59 (SMD = 0.93, 95%CI = 0.11~1.96, p < 0.027). Conclusions: This NMA found that CPA and AE have significant benefits for CF, inhibitory control, and AP in children and adolescents. Furthermore, PTE improves EFs in adults and older adults. Combining the findings of this study with previous related research, we recommend that OW/OB begin by interrupting prolonged sedentary behavior and increasing fragmented physical activity, gradually incorporating AE, RT, and CPA (such as jump rope).

Relationship between physical fitness and executive function in preschool children: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Physical fitness (PF) is important for children's physical and cognitive development. There is increasing interest in the relationship between physical fitness, and executive function. Since it is unclear which physical fitness component benefits which domain of executive functioning, it's challenging to develop effective physical intervention programs for children with executive functioning disorders. This study aimed to examine the relationship between physical fitness components, and executive function domains.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 14 kindergartens and recruited 272 preschool children aged 3-6. PF was assessed by the National Physical Fitness Measurement (NPFM), including six physical fitness subtests: 10-m shuttle run test (SRT), standing long jump (SLJ), tennis ball throwing (TBT), double-leg timed hop (DTH) tests, sit-and-reach (SR), and balance beam walking (BBW). Executive function assessments include the dimensional change card sort (DCCS) test, digit span test (DST) and Head-toe-knee-shoulder (HTKS) task, to evaluate cognitive flexibility, working memory, and inhibitory control respectively.

RESULTS

Results from the Spearman correlations analysis showed a significant association between physical fitness and executive function. The hierarchical linear regression showed that age was the only predictor for cognitive flexibility (β = 0.53, p < 0.01) and working memory (β = 0.53, p < 0.01). For inhibitory control, children with older age (β = 0.52, p < 0.01) and better performance on SRT (β = -0.14, p < 0.01) and SLJ (β = 0.13, p < 0.01) scored higher in the HTKS.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicated physical fitness, especially speed-agility and lower limb strength, is related to inhibitory control in preschool children.

Effects of aerobic exercise on executive function among overweight and obese children: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

Overweight and obesity are serious public health issues worldwide and significantly impair children's executive function (EF). However, there is no consensus regarding the benefits of aerobic exercise, on the EF of overweight and obese children. This study systematically evaluated the intervention effects of aerobic exercise on EF and its subcomponents (inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility) in overweight and obese children.

Methods

We searched six databases-PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, EBSCOhost, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure-until March 17, 2024 for randomized controlled trials examining the effects of aerobic exercise on the EF of overweight and obese children the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool. Following heterogeneity testing, RevMan 5.4 and Stata 17.0 were used for meta-analysis and subgroup analysis of the three indicators. The standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used as statistical measures for effect analysis with the SMD value as the effect size and a p-value of ≤0.05 indicating statistical significance.

Results

Eighteen studies involving 1,260 participants were included. Aerobic exercise significantly improved overall EF (SMD = -0.50, 95% CI [-0.68, -0.32], p < 0.01) with a moderate to high positive effect on inhibitory control (SMD = -0.52, 95% CI [-0.72, -0.31], p < 0.01) and working memory (SMD = -0.63, 95% CI [-1.06, -0.20], p < 0.01) but not on cognitive flexibility (SMD = -0.32, 95% CI [-0.71, 0.07], p = 0.11). These results suggest that EF in overweight and obese children is influenced by factors such as exercise characteristics and body mass index (BMI). Subgroup analysis revealed a significant moderating effect of exercise type, exercise intensity, session time, and individual BMI on EF.

Conclusion

Aerobic exercise selectively improved EF in overweight and obese children. Subgroup analysis indicated that cognitive engagement in ball game interventions of at least moderate intensity and a single session of 25-40 min are more beneficial for improving EF in overweight and obese children. Extremely obese children (BMI > 25 kg/m2) do not benefit from the intervention, highlighting the need for a specific focus on intervention outcomes in future studies.

Detection of neurophysiological markers of cognitive reserve: an EEG study

Background and objectives

Cognitive reserve (CR) is a property of the brain that allows for better-than-expected cognitive performance relative to the degree of brain change over the course of life. However, neurophysiological markers of CR remain under-investigated. Electroencephalography (EEG) features may function as suitable neurophysiological markers of CR. To assess this, we investigated whether the dorsal attention network (DAN) and ventral attention network (VAN) activities, as measured during resting-state EEG, moderate the relationship between hippocampal volume and episodic memory.

Methods

Participants were recruited as part of the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology-Study of Geriatric Syndromes. Hippocampal volume was determined using magnetic MRI, and episodic memory was measured using word lists. After testing the effect of hippocampal volume on memory performance using multiple regression analysis, we evaluated the interactions between hippocampal volume and DAN and VAN network activities. We further used the Johnson-Neyman technique to quantify the moderating effects of DAN and VAN network activities on the relationship between hippocampal volume and word list memory, as well as to identify specific ranges of DAN and VAN network activity with significant hippocampal-memory association.

Results

A total of 449 participants were included in this study. Our analysis revealed significant moderation of DAN with a slope of β = -0.00012 (95% CI: -0.00024; -0.00001, p = 0.040), and VAN with a slope of β = 0.00014 (95% CI: 0.00001; 0.00026, p = 0.031). Further, we found that a larger hippocampal volume was associated with improved memory performance, and that this association became stronger as the DAN activity decreased until a limit of DAN activity of 944.9, after which the hippocampal volume was no longer significantly related to word-list memory performance. For the VAN, we found that a higher hippocampal volume was more strongly associated with better memory performance when VAN activity was higher. However, when VAN activity extended beyond -914.6, the hippocampal volume was no longer significantly associated with word-list memory.

Discussion

Our results suggest that attentional networks help to maintain memory performance in the face of age-related structural decline, meeting the criteria for the neural implementation of cognitive reserve.

A multimodal approach integrating cognitive and motor demands into physical activity for optimal mental health: Methodological issues and future directions

Physical activity is known for its positive effects on cognition and affect, with existing literature suggesting that these mental health benefits may be optimally experienced by incorporating cognitive and motor demands during physical activity (PA). However, the existing body of literature lacks a comprehensive guideline for designing the qualitative characteristics of a PA program. Accordingly, this narrative review aimed to (1) provide a working two-dimension model that operationally defines the cognitive and motor demands involved in PA and the rationale for systematically studying these qualitative aspects of PA, (2) identify methods to assess the cognitive and motor demands of PA and address associated methodological issues, and (3) offer potential future directions for research on the cognitive and motor aspects of PA in support of the development of PA programs designed to maximize PA-induced cognitive and affective benefits. We anticipate this article to inform the need for future research and development on this topic, aiming to create clear, evidence-based guidelines for designing innovative and effective PA interventions.

Chronic exercise interventions for executive function in overweight children: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives

To systematically evaluate the effectiveness of chronic exercise in physical activity (PA) as an intervention for executive functions (EFs) in children.

Methods

We conducted a systematic search in the following online databases: Web of Science, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, and EBSCOhost. The timing is from database inception to July 2023, following PRISMA guidelines. Our inclusion criteria required studies reporting executive function (EF) levels in overweight children (age 0-18 years) before and after interventions. The Cochrane risk of bias tool assessed study bias, and Egger's test examined publication bias. Subgroup analyses considered three moderators: intervention duration, weekly frequency, and session length.

Results

The meta-analysis included a total of 10 studies with 843 participants. It revealed a statistically significant yet relatively small overall positive effect (g = 0.3, 95% CI 0.16-0.44, P < 0.01) of chronic exercise on EF in overweight children. Importantly, there was no significant heterogeneity (Q = 11.64, df = 12, P = 0.48; I2 = 0).

Conclusions

Chronic exercise interventions had a consistent positive impact on EF, irrespective of intervention duration, weekly frequency, or session length. However, given limitations in the number and design of studies, further high-quality research is needed to strengthen these conclusions.

Systematic Review Registration

PROSPERO identifier (CRD42023468588).

Mediating role of inhibitory control in relationships between cardiovascular fitness and academic achievement in preadolescents

Cardiovascular fitness (CRF) has been consistently linked to cognitive performance and academic achievement, and inhibitory control has been recognized as a key predictor of academic success. However, few studies have explored whether inhibitory control mediates the relationship between CRF and academic performance in children, and the existing findings are inconclusive because of certain limitations. This study investigated the mediating role of inhibitory control in the association between CRF and academic achievement among preadolescents while also addressing the related limitations. This study enrolled a total of 175 elementary school students (70 girls, mean age=11.17years, standard deviation=0.7), who participated in a half-mile test for assessing their CRF level. Additionally, inhibitory control was measured using the Stroop Color and Word Test (Stroop test), and language and mathematics tests were administered to measure their academic performance. The results revealed that the participants with higher CRF levels achieved superior performance in tasks requiring a high level of inhibitory control (r=0.291, P<0.001) and in Chinese language (r=-0.415, P<0.001) and mathematics (r=-0.366, P<0.001) tests even when gender, age, and body fat were considered. Furthermore, a mediation analysis revealed that inhibitory control, as measured through the incongruent trials of the Stroop test, partially mediated the relationship between CRF and academic performance (language: indirect effect=-0.013, 95% CI [-0.019, -0.008]; math: indirect effect=-0.013, 95% CI [-0.021, -0.009]). These findings have major implications for child development, emphasizing the key role of inhibitory control in the beneficial effects of CRF on academic achievement.

Examining the relationship between aerobic fitness and cognitive control processes: An SFT and ERP study

Previous studies have demonstrated a positive relationship between aerobic fitness and cognitive control, the ability to inhibit distractions (conflict control) or impulsive actions (response inhibition). However, it is unknown whether these sub-processes and their underlying information processing capacity are differentially related to aerobic fitness. To address this question, we employed a go/no-go version of the redundant-target task, which was administered concurrently with the recording of event-related potentials (ERPs) and the use of a reaction-time based diagnostic tool known as system factorial technology (SFT). Our sample consisted of 46 young male adults with varying levels of aerobic fitness: the high-fit group (n = 23; aged 21.33 ± 2.44 years; VO2max 58.83 ± 6.93 ml/kg/min) and the low-fit group (n = 23; aged 22.30 ± 1.40 years; VO2max 41.90 ± 4.01 ml/kg/min). The results showed that the high-fit group exhibited a lower false-alarm rate compared to the low-fit group. However, there was no difference in processing speed between the two groups. The SFT analysis revealed that the high-fit group had more efficient information processing for earlier responses, but not later responses, compared to the low-fit group. Analysis of the ERPs indicated that the high-fit group had larger N2d amplitudes and shorter P3d latencies during conflict control compared to the low-fit group, while there were no such effects for the process of response inhibition. These findings suggest that aerobic fitness may be differentially related to the temporal dynamics and sub-processes of cognitive control.

Effects of acute moderate-intensity exercise on executive function in children with preterm birth: A randomized crossover study

BACKGROUND

Acute exercise appears to promote executive function (EF) in children. However, the effect of acute exercise on EF in children with preterm birth (PB) remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether acute moderate-intensity exercise improves EF in children with PB.

METHODS

Twenty child participants with PB (age = 10.95 ± 1.19 years, birth age = 31.71 ± 3.64 weeks) completed exercise and control sessions in a randomized crossover design. In the exercise session, participants completed a 30-minute period of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise. In the control session, participants watched a video for appropriately 30 min. Following each session immediately, inhibitory control, an aspect of EF, was assessed with the Numerical Stroop task.

RESULTS

Response time (RT) for the Stroop's incongruent condition was shorter after the exercise session than after the control session. However, no differences were observed in RT for the congruent condition. Accuracy rate (ACC) in both congruent and incongruent conditions did not differ between exercise and control session.

CONCLUSION

The findings support the beneficial effect of acute exercise on executive function (EF) in children with PB, particularly in terms of improving inhibitory control.

Systems factorial technology provides novel insights into the cognitive processing characteristics of open-skill athletes

Sport expertise has been shown to modulate the cognitive advantage in open-skill athletes, with evidence for a greater advantage for athletes practicing interceptive sports relative to strategic sports. However, this conclusion is solely based on central tendency measures such as accuracy or mean reaction time (RT), dismissing important information embedded in the intra-individual temporal dynamics of cognitive performance. This study aimed to better understand the cognitive advantage associated with open-skill sports, with a non-parametric approach assessing cognitive process at the level of RT distribution (i.e., systems factorial technology, SFT). Twenty-eight interceptive sport athletes, 27 strategic sport athletes, and 26 physically active non-athletes performed a go/nogo version of the redundant target task to assess their processing capacity of simultaneously monitoring multiple information channels. SFT was applied to assess resilience capacity, an estimate of workload capacity underlying inhibitory control. Our findings showed that interceptive sport athletes exhibited shorter mean RT relative to non-athletes selectively in the task condition involving distracting information, while strategic sport athletes showed greater resilience capacity over earlier responses relative to the other groups. These findings suggest that the two types of open-skill sports may be associated with different processing specificity, possibly reflecting the domain-specific rules and requirements.