scholarly journals Effects of a programme of vigorous physical activity during secondary school physical education on academic performance, fitness, cognition, mental health and the brain of adolescents (Fit to Study): study protocol for a cluster-randomised trial

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Wassenaar ◽  
Catherine Wheatley ◽  
Nicholas Beale ◽  
Piergiorgio Salvan ◽  
Andy Meaney ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽  
Aerobic Fitness ◽  
Academic Attainment ◽  
Cluster Randomised ◽  
The Brain

BackgroundEarly adolescence is a period of dynamic neurobiological change. Converging lines of research suggest that regular physical activity (PA) and improved aerobic fitness have the potential to stimulate positive brain changes, improve cognitive function and boost academic attainment in this age group, but high quality studies are needed to substantiate these findings. The primary aim of the Fit to Study trial is to investigate whether short infusions of vigorous PA (VPA) delivered during secondary school physical education (PE) can improve attainment in maths, as described in a protocol published by NatCen Social Research. The present protocol concerns the trial’s secondary outcome measures, which are variables thought to moderate or mediate the relationship between PA and attainment including the effect of the intervention on cardiorespiratory fitness, cognitive performance, mental health, and brain structure and function. MethodThe Fit to Study project is a cluster-randomised controlled trial that includes Year-8 pupils (aged 12-13) from secondary state schools in South/Mid-England. Schools were randomised into an intervention condition in which PE teachers delivered an additional 10 minutes of VPA per PE lesson for one academic year, or a ‘PE as usual’ control condition. Intervention and control groups were stratified according to whether schools were single-sex or co-educational. Assessments take place at baseline (end of Year-7, aged 11-12), and after 12 months (Year-8). Secondary outcomes are cardiorespiratory fitness, objective PA during PE, cognitive performance and mental health. The study also includes exploratory measures of daytime sleepiness, attitudes towards daily PA and PE enjoyment. A subset of pupils from a subset of schools will also take part in a brain imaging sub-study, which is embedded in the trial. DiscussionThe Fit to Study trial could advance our understanding of the complex relationships between PA and aerobic fitness, the brain, cognitive performance, mental health and academic attainment during adolescence. Further, it will add to our understanding of whether school PE is an effective setting to increase VPA and fitness, which could inform future PA interventions and education policy.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov, ID: NCT03286725. Retrospectively registered on 18th of September, 2017 Clinicaltrials.gov, ID: NCT03593863. Retrospectively registered on 19th of July, 2018Trial sponsor: University of Oxford. Protocol version: 1.

scholarly journals How to improve the efficiency of our brain?

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 346-351
Author(s):  
Grzegorz Zurek ◽  
Michal Sarna ◽  
Alina Zurek ◽  
Ewa Gorski ◽  
Gerda Dalaunay
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Social Status ◽  
Intelligence Quotient ◽  
Fluid Intelligence ◽  
Scientific Research ◽  
Physical Factors ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
The Brain

The efficiency of the brain greatly contributes to a person’s intelligence quotient (IQ), which may ultimately affect one’s social status. Neurophysiological processes and IQ change during a person’s lifetime and depend on a number of factors, including fluid and crystalized intelligence, diet, physical activity and sleep. As described in the literature, the level of fluid intelligence decreases with age. This process can be delayed by implementing mental exercises and physical factors in one’s lifestyle. The SOMECO concept developed in Germany and described in this paper emphasizes the importance of following the most current scientific research in maintaining overall mental health.

scholarly journals Una unidad didáctica intermitente de acondicionamiento físico solo mejora los niveles de capacidad cardiorrespiratoria de los estudiantes con un perfil no saludable de condición física (An intermittent physical fitness teaching unit only improves cardior

Retos ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 8-15
Author(s):  
Santiago Guijarro-Romero ◽  
Daniel Mayorga-Vega ◽  
Carolina Casado-Robles ◽  
Jesús Viciana
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Physical Fitness ◽  
Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Physical Activity Levels ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Teaching Unit ◽  
Experimental Group

El objetivo del presente estudio fue comparar el efecto de una unidad didáctica intermitente de acondicionamiento físico en Educación Física sobre los niveles de actividad física y capacidad cardiorrespiratoria entre estudiantes con un perfil saludable/no saludable de capacidad cardiorrespiratoria. Ochenta estudiantes de 2º-3º curso de Educación Secundaria fueron asignados aleatoriamente al grupo control y grupo experimental. El grupo experimental, dividido en perfiles saludable/no saludable, realizó una unidad didáctica intermitente de acondicionamiento físico para mejorar la capacidad cardiorrespiratoria. El grupo control trabajó un contenido diferente durante el mismo tiempo y con la misma frecuencia, pero sin hacer hincapié en la mejora de la capacidad cardiorrespiratoria. Antes y después de la intervención, la capacidad cardiorrespiratoria se evaluó objetivamente mediante el test de ida y vuelta de 20 metros. Los niveles de actividad física fueron medidos objetivamente a través de un pulsómetro durante las clases de Educación Física. Ambos perfiles tuvieron mayores niveles de actividad física durante las clases de Educación Física que el grupo control (p < .001). Sin embargo, solo los estudiantes con un perfil no saludable mejoraron significativamente sus niveles de capacidad cardiorrespiratoria tras la unidad didáctica (p < .01). Aunque una unidad didáctica intermitente de acondicionamiento físico parece tener un efecto similar en los niveles de actividad física de todos los perfiles de capacidad cardiorrespiratoria de los estudiantes, solo mejora la capacidad cardiorrespiratoria de los estudiantes con un perfil no saludable. Abstract. The purpose of the present study was to compare the effect of a Physical Education-based physical fitness intermittent teaching unit on physical activity levels and cardiorespiratory fitness among students with healthy/unhealthy cardiorespiratory fitness profile. Eighty students from 2º-3º grades of Secondary Education were randomly assigned to the control group and experimental group. The experimental group, divided into healthy/unhealthy profiles, performed a physical fitness intermittent teaching unit to improve the cardiorespiratory fitness. The control group worked a different content during the same time and with the same frequency, but without emphasizing cardiorespiratory fitness improvement. Before and after the teaching unit, students’ cardiorespiratory fitness was objectively measured by the 20-meter shuttle run test. Participants’ physical activity levels were measured objectively using a heart rate monitor during Physical Education lessons. Students from both profiles had higher physical activity levels during Physical Education lessons than the control group (p < .001). However, only students with an unhealthy cardiorespiratory fitness profile statistically improved their cardiorespiratory fitness levels after the teaching unit (p < .01). Although an intermittent physical fitness teaching unit seems to have similar effect on physical activity levels of students from all cardiorespiratory fitness profiles, it only improves the cardiorespiratory fitness of those with an unhealthy one.

Physical Activity and Environmental Influences during Secondary School Physical Education

2009 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bik C. Chow ◽  
Thomas L. McKenzie ◽  
Lobo Louie
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Vigorous Physical Activity ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Movement Skills ◽  
Instruction Time ◽  
Trained Observers ◽  
The U.S

Physical activity engagement during physical education is important for many reasons, including developing physical fitness and movement skills and promoting health. Much more is known about physical activity in elementary than secondary schools. We examined physical activity and how it was influenced by instructor-related and environmental characteristics during 238 lessons taught by 65 physical education specialists in 30 randomly selected secondary schools in Hong Kong. Trained observers used SOFIT (System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time) in randomly selected grade 7–12 classes over a 6-month period. Results showed students engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) about 35% of lesson time, a level similar to that found in U.S. elementary schools and short of the U.S. Healthy People 2010 objective of 50% engagement time. Multiple regression analyses found that six potentially modifiable variables contributed to 35% of the variability in lesson MVPA percent.

Perceived Competence and Enjoyment in Predicting Students' Physical Activity and Cardiorespiratory Fitness

2008 ◽  
Vol 107 (2) ◽  
pp. 365-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zan Gao
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽  
Perceived Competence ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Significant Variance ◽  
Significant Contributor ◽  
Cardiovascular Endurance ◽  
Educational Implications ◽  
Predictive Strength

This study investigated the predictive strength of perceived competence and enjoyment on students' physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness in physical education classes. Participants ( N = 307; 101 in Grade 6, 96 in Grade 7, 110 in Grade 8; 149 boys, 158 girls) responded to questionnaires assessing perceived competence and enjoyment of physical education, then their cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed on the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) test. Physical activity in one class was estimated via pedometers. Regression analyses showed enjoyment ( R2 = 16.5) and perceived competence ( R2 = 4.2) accounted for significant variance of only 20.7% of physical activity and, perceived competence was the only significant contributor to cardiorespiratory fitness performance ( R2 = 19.3%). Only a small amount of variance here leaves 80% unaccounted for. Some educational implications and areas for research are mentioned.

scholarly journals The Influence of the Physical Education Environment on Children’s Well-Being and Physical Activity Across the Transition from Primary to Secondary School

2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 574-583 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian M. Taylor ◽  
Christopher M. Spray ◽  
Natalie Pearson
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
School Transition ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Concept ◽  
Physical Education Teachers ◽  
Education Environment ◽  
Before And After

The purpose of the study was to explore change in children’s physical self-concept and self-reported physical activity over a school transition period, as well as motivational and interpersonal influences on these two outcomes. Data were collected from 545 children (mean age = 10.82, SD = 0.39, 51% female) at three time points before and after the United Kingdom secondary school transition. Multilevel modeling revealed that physical self-concept and physical activity showed different patterns of decline over the course of the study. Changes in the extent to which physical education teachers were perceived to provide psychological need support, peer focus on self-referenced learning and mastery, and changes in autonomous motives toward physical education classes were positively associated with these outcome variables. The present study provides novel insight into important motivational and interpersonal factors that may need to be targeted to prevent negative developmental patterns over a potentially challenging period for children.

scholarly journals Differential MR/GR Activation in Mice Results in Emotional States Beneficial or Impairing for Cognition

2007 ◽  
Vol 2007 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vera Brinks ◽  
Maaike H. van der Mark ◽  
E. Ron de Kloet ◽  
Melly S. Oitzl
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Stress Response ◽  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Emotional States ◽  
High Affinity ◽  
Mediated Effects ◽  
Additional Constant ◽  
Hole Board ◽  
The Brain

Corticosteroids regulate stress response and influence emotion, learning, and memory via two receptors in the brain, the high‐affinity mineralocorticoid (MR) and low‐affinity glucocorticoid receptor (GR). We test the hypothesis that MR- and GR-mediated effects interact in emotion and cognition when a novel situation is encountered that is relevant for a learning process. By adrenalectomy and additional constant corticosterone supplement we obtained four groups of male C57BL/6J mice with differential chronic MR and GR activations. Using a hole board task, we found that mice with continuous predominant MR and moderate GR activations were fast learners that displayed low anxiety and arousal together with high directed explorative behavior. Progressive corticosterone concentrations with predominant action via GR induced strong emotional arousal at the expense of cognitive performance. These findings underline the importance of a balanced MR/GR system for emotional and cognitive functioning that is critical for mental health.

scholarly journals Psychosocial and Physical Benefits of Exercise Among Rural Secondary School Students

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 14-18
Author(s):  
Alliance Kubayi Ntwanano ◽  
Eric Pule
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Secondary School Students ◽  
School Students ◽  
School Sport ◽  
Validated Questionnaire ◽  
Physically Attractive ◽  
Practical Implications

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the benefits of physical exercise among secondary school students. Participants in the study were 251 students (120 boys and 131 girls) attending three public secondary schools in the Hlanganani rural area of South Africa. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data. Results of this study indicated that students exercised to be with their friends, to be physically attractive and compete with others. The findings of this study have practical implications for promoting participation in physical activity among students in rural schools. In an effort to promote physical activity participation, schools should be provided with quality sports infrastructure and funding so that they can implement school sport programmes. Finally, the teaching of physical education should be emphasised in schools as it is the cornerstone for children’s involvement in physical activity.

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