Effects of the Active Smarter Kids (ASK) Physical Activity School-based Intervention on Executive Functions: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a seven-month curriculum prescribed physical activity (PA) intervention (the Active Smarter Kids [ASK] intervention) on executive functions in 10-year-old Norwegian children. A linear mixed model was used to analyze data from 971–1,123 fifth grade children at 28 intervention schools and 29 control schools. The intervention constituted three PA elements: PA educational lessons, PA breaks, and PA homework, adding 165 minutes of PA to the mandatory 135 minutes of PA and physical education. There was no effect of the intervention on executive functions in the intention-to-treat analyses. Per protocol analyses (n = 776–850) revealed small effects of the intervention on the composite score of executive functions, cognitive flexibility, and motor skills. Cognitively engaging and coordinative demanding activities/games seem viable options to increase executive functions and possibly improve academic performance in children.

KEYWORDS:

• Children
• aerobic fitness
• motor skills
• accelerometry

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the children and their families, principals, and teachers from the 57 participating elementary schools who gave their time to the study. Many thanks also to all the master and bachelor students from Sogn og Fjordane University College who supported the data collection.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Katrine Nyvoll Aadland http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6425-7997

Yngvar Ommundsen http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6500-8711

Mette Stavnsbo http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0920-964X

Eivind Aadland http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9654-2653

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Research Council of Norway [grant number 221047/F40]; Sogn og Fjordane University College; the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, and the Gjensidige Foundation [grant number 1042294].