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% girls, 61% Black, M ± SD age = 9.3 ± 1.0 years, 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 min/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 MRI 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 attributable to exercise was also observed.

Conclusion: Consistent with results obtained in older adults, a specific improvement on executive function and brain activation changes attributable 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.

(PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

Figures

Fig. 1

Participant flow diagram.

Fig. 2

Axial views displaying blood oxygenation level dependent percent signal change associated with antisaccade performance from one-sample analysis at three different levels in the brain. Data from 39 sessions (20 children at baseline, 19 at posttest) are shown radiologically oriented (right hemisphere on left side). Colors from pink to yellow indicate increasing antisaccade-related percent signal change. The background is an anatomical image averaged over 20 participants. FEF, frontal eye field; PPC, posterior parietal cortex; SEF, supplementary eye field; PFC, prefrontal cortex.

Fig. 3

Executive function (Planning) at posttest adjusted for sex, parent education, and baseline score, and math achievement means (SE) at posttest adjusted for race, parent education, and baseline score, showing dose response effects of the aerobic exercise program.

Fig. 4

Boxplots by experimental condition showing change in activation from baseline to posttest. Left panel: prefrontal cortex. Right panel: posterior parietal cortex.