Breaks in Sedentary Behaviour and Executive Function

This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate whether interrupting prolonged sitting with physical activity breaks can improve executive function in university students and to explore the potential underlying neural mechanisms. Participants will complete three experimental conditions in a randomized, within-subject crossover design: uninterrupted sitting (control condition), sitting interrupted by physical activity breaks, and a moderate-intensity exercise condition (exercise control). Executive function will be assessed before and after each condition using a computerized Stroop task. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) will simultaneously monitor changes in cortical oxygenation, particularly in the prefrontal and parietal regions. The study hypothesizes that interrupting prolonged sitting with physical activity breaks will acutely improve executive function, particularly inhibitory control, compared with uninterrupted sitting. It is also expected that changes in cortical oxygenation may be associated with improvements in cognitive performance.