TY  - JOUR
AU  - Williams, Ryan
AU  - Hatch, Lorna
AU  - Cooper, Simon
PY  - 2019
DA  - 2019/08/02
TI  - A Review of Factors Affecting the Acute Exercise-Cognition Relationship in Children and Adolescents
JO  - OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine
SP  - 049
VL  - 04
IS  - 03
AB  - It is well documented that an acute bout of exercise has a positive effect on subsequent cognitive function in young people. However, the moderating variables (such as the exercise intensity, duration and modality; and the domain of cognitive function assessed) and mediating variables (such as the participant’s age, baseline physical activity, physical fitness, cognitive abilities and weight status) that affect this relationship are poorly understood. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to examine the impact of these moderating and mediating variables on the acute exercise-cognition relationship in children (aged 6-11 years) and adolescents (aged 12-18 years). Searching the published literature from 2008 to date yielded 22 relevant studies in children and 14 relevant studies in adolescents. This review examines the moderating effect of exercise characteristics (section 2), the cognitive domain assessed (section 3), and the time course of the effects (section 4), alongside the mediating effects of participant characteristics (section 5).  The findings indicate that moderate intensity of ~ 30 min duration has positive effects across cognitive domains in children, whilst moderate-high intensity exercise of 10-30 min duration appears most beneficial in adolescents. Findings also suggest that the beneficial effects last for ~ 45 min post-exercise and, tentatively, may be more pronounced in young people with higher physical fitness levels. Future research in this area should carefully consider these moderating and mediating variables and continue to explore their effects. Where possible these factors should be controlled and at the very least measured and reported, to allow interpretation of the findings with respect of these very important moderators and mediators in the acute exercise-cognition relationship.
SN  - 2573-4393
UR  - https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.icm.1903049
DO  - 10.21926/obm.icm.1903049
ID  - Williams2019
ER  -