Non-cardio exercise (yoga, tai chi, walking) shows predominantly positive but questionable acute and chronic effects in children with ADHD¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · review r3 · q2 · i2 medium
Currency · newest study 2017 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Tai chi practice produced both acute and chronic behavioral effects: less anxiety, improved conduct, less daydreaming, less inappropriate emotions, and less hyperactivity, with asocial behavior unchanged. → Den Heijer 2017 q2 i2 A walk in a park improved concentration (Digit Span Backwards) more than walks in urban settings (d = 0.52–0.77), suggesting the environment mattered more than the exercise itself. → Den Heijer 2017 (2)

Evidence¶

Den Heijer 2017¶

Den Heijer, A. E., Groen, Y., Tucha, L., Fuermaier, A. B. M., Koerts, J., Lange, K. W., Thome, J., & Tucha, O. (2017). Sweat it out? The effects of physical exercise on cognition and behavior in children and adults with ADHD: a systematic literature review. J Neural Transm 124(Suppl 1):S3–S26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-016-1593-7

q2 · i? · review · r3

Hernandez-Reif et al. (2001) as tabulated: 13 adolescents with ADHD, no control group, 5 weeks of tai chi. "Both acute (directly post) and chronic (2 weeks after intervention) effects were found" on anxiety, conduct, daydreaming, emotions, and hyperactivity; asocial behavior unchanged.

"Both acute (directly post) and chronic (2 weeks after intervention) effects were found; less anxiety, improved conduct, less daydreaming, less inappropriate emotions and less hyperactivity ( CTRS)"

Den Heijer 2017 (2)¶

Den Heijer, A. E., Groen, Y., Tucha, L., Fuermaier, A. B. M., Koerts, J., Lange, K. W., Thome, J., & Tucha, O. (2017). Sweat it out? The effects of physical exercise on cognition and behavior in children and adults with ADHD: a systematic literature review. J Neural Transm 124(Suppl 1):S3–S26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-016-1593-7

q2 · i2 · review · r3

Taylor and Kuo (2009) as tabulated: 17 children with ADHD walking alternately in a park and two urban settings, no control condition. "Improved concentration ( Digit Span Backwards)" after park walks, with "greater influence of environment than physical exercise" suggested (d = 0.52–0.77).

"Walk in park vs. walk in urban settings: Improved concentration ( Digit Span Backwards); suggested greater influence of environment than physical exercise [ES park– urban settings: Cohen’s d = 0.52–0.77]"

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Chronic cardio exercise programs improve executive functions, attention, and behavior in children with ADHD
• Acute cardio exercise improves executive functions, response time, and academic performance in children with ADHD — related
• Aerobic exercise improves executive functioning, most notably inhibitory control, in typically developing children, though evidence is tentative and one week-long study found no main effect — related
• In adults with ADHD, acute cardio exercise does not improve sustained attention but enhances mood and motivation — related
• Small pilot studies provide preliminary evidence that exercise interventions improve behavioral symptoms and neuropsychological functioning in children with ADHD — related
• Acute exercise produces an overall small positive effect on cognition, with executive functions benefiting most and effects lasting up to two hours post-exercise — related
• Daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is associated with better executive functioning in boys with ADHD — related
• Reported benefits of physical activity programs on executive functions depend on program duration and the executive domain analyzed — related
• In university students, walks or sitting in natural settings after cognitive fatigue improve some attention and working memory measures, with null results for others — related