This month Nature Pediatric Research Journal published the results of a study that examined the impact of physical activity and sedentary behavior on executive function skill levels in children aged 3-5 years.
The study found that, in addition to having a positive impact on children’s physical and mental health, higher levels of physical activity and physical fitness are also associated with the development of important cognitive and executive function skills. This connection is positive news, since, as every early learning provider knows firsthand, preschoolers love to move and play!
The study included 241 preschoolers (121 male and 120 female) from two different schools. The children were assessed for physical fitness (muscular strength, long jump distance, speed, agility, and cardio-respiratory fitness); the amount of time, during a six-day period, that they engaged in physical activity; time spent in sedentary activity; and executive function skill levels (including visual-spatial working memory, phonological working memory, inhibition, and cognitive shifting).
The study found that physical fitness supports executive function, while longer and more frequent periods of sedentary behavior are linked to less developed executive function skills. Higher levels of physical fitness and a greater amount of time spent in active physical movement were both associated with stronger executive function performance. None of the specific metrics for physical fitness (strength, speed, etc) was found to have a significant connection to executive function outcomes.
