Longitudinal physical activity programs have a positive effect on executive functions in preadolescent children (g = 0.24)¶
Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · quant-synthesisr2·q3·i1small
Currency · newest study 2018 · checked against its sources 2026-10-20 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person
Subclaims¶
Reading the evidence codes
q is the design tier, i the impact, n the sample, and the kind with its r
the rigour judged within that kind: what each code means.
This claim: no standardized effect is recorded in observations/ for it yet, so no benchmark reading is possible.
q3 i1 Longitudinal physical activity programs improve executive functions in preadolescent children, with a pooled effect of g = 0.24 across 12 studies. → de Greeff 2018
Evidence¶
de Greeff 2018¶
de Greeff, J. W., Bosker, R. J., Oosterlaan, J., Visscher, C., & Hartman, E. (2018). Effects of physical activity on executive functions, attention and academic performance in preadolescent children: a meta-analysis. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 21(5), 501-507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2017.09.595
q3 · i1 · quant-synthesis · r2
Meta-analysis pooling 12 longitudinal physical activity program studies in children aged 6-12. The review reports "a positive effect on executive functions (g = 0.24; 95% CI = 0.09, 0.39; 12 studies)". The interval excludes zero; the effect is small.
"longitudinal physical activity programs has a positive effect on executive functions (g = 0.24; 95% CI = 0.09, 0.39; 12 studies)"
Discussion¶
Related Claims¶
- Reported benefits of physical activity programs on executive functions depend on program duration and the executive domain analyzed — related
- Longitudinal physical activity programs have a positive effect on academic performance in preadolescent children (g = 0.26)
- Longitudinal physical activity programs show a positive effect on attention in preadolescent children (g = 0.90), based on a single study
- The effects of physical activity on cognition and academic outcomes depend on the subdomain examined — a broader claim this one bears on
- A 9-month afterschool physical activity program improved cardiorespiratory fitness and the cognitive control of working memory, with ERP evidence of more effective cognitive control — related
- Physical exercise has a significant modest positive effect on functional outcomes (executive functions and motor skills) in children with ADHD — related
- Classroom physical activity increases children's on-task behaviour, with no consistent gain on attention or other cognitive tests — related
- Systematic reviews on regular physical activity and children's cognition reach conflicting conclusions, with math performance the most consistent beneficiary — related
- Physical activity interventions in childhood show no overall benefit for executive functions or academic achievement — reports the opposite
Page metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
type |
claim |
id |
longitudinal-physical-activity-improves-executive-functions |
title |
Longitudinal physical activity programs have a positive effect on executive functions in preadolescent children (g = 0.24) |
description |
Longitudinal physical activity programs have a positive effect on executive functions in preadolescent children (g = 0.24) |
status |
review |
evidence_strength |
moderate |
newest_evidence |
2018 |
source_checked |
2026-10-20 |
generated |
by process:wiki-ingest on 2026-10-16 |
trust |
unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content |
sources |
1 — de-greeff-2018 |
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