Physical activity interventions in childhood show no overall benefit for executive functions or academic achievement¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · quant-synthesis r3 · q3 · i0 negligible
Currency · newest study 2023 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i0 Combined across sub-domains, physical activity interventions did not significantly benefit executive function measures (g = 0.09) or academic achievement (g = 0.14). → Vasilopoulos 2023

Evidence¶

Vasilopoulos 2023¶

Vasilopoulos, F., Jeffrey, H., Wu, Y., & Dumontheil, I. (2023). Multi-Level Meta-Analysis of Physical Activity Interventions During Childhood: Effects of Physical Activity on Cognition and Academic Achievement. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09760-2

q3 · i0 · quant-synthesis · r3

Three-level meta-analysis combining EF sub-domains (127 effect sizes, 45 studies) and AA sub-domains (114 effect sizes, 47 studies) in the Results, showing negligible summary effects of "g = 0.09" for executive functions and "g = 0.14" for academic achievement, both non-significant. Equivalence was not tested.

"When combining across sub-domains, three-level meta-analysis indicated that PA interventions did not benefit executive function measures (g = 0.09, p = 0.24 (95% CI: − 0.06–0.25), very low-certainty evidence) or academic achievement (g = 0.14, p = 0.14 (95% CI: − 0.04–0.31), moderate-certainty evidence)"

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Executive Function — outcome: instruction changes it

Related Claims¶

• Executive functions in childhood benefit from moderate-to-vigorous intensity and aerobic physical activity interventions — reports the opposite
• Physical activity interventions in childhood improve fluid intelligence with a small summary effect, based on moderate-certainty evidence — related
• Physical activity interventions in childhood improve working memory with a small summary effect, based on very low-certainty evidence — reports the opposite
• The effects of physical activity on cognition and academic outcomes depend on the subdomain examined — related
• 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 executive functions in preadolescent children (g = 0.24) — reports the opposite
• 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