Multicomponent Exercise Intervention and Metacognition in Obese Preadolescents: A Randomized Controlled Study.

Area of Science:

• Exercise Science
• Developmental Psychology
• Pediatric Obesity

Background:

• Preadolescents with obesity often experience challenges with physical fitness and executive functions.
• Metacognition, crucial for learning and problem-solving, may be impacted by obesity and sedentary lifestyles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of a 12-week multicomponent exercise intervention on metacognition in preadolescents with obesity.
• To explore the relationship between physical fitness improvements and changes in metacognitive abilities.

Main Methods:

• Seventy-five preadolescents with obesity were randomized into either a multicomponent exercise group or a reading control group.
• The exercise group engaged in 75-minute sessions, three times weekly for 12 weeks, focusing on jumping rope to enhance multifaceted fitness.
• Metacognition was assessed using the Tower of London task, alongside measures of cardiovascular fitness, muscular endurance, flexibility, and power.

Main Results:

• The exercise group demonstrated significant improvements in cardiovascular fitness, muscular endurance, flexibility, and power compared to the control group.
• Significant improvements were observed in metacognitive measures, including total move score, total executive time, and total planning-solving time, favoring the exercise group.
• Positive correlations were found between enhanced physical fitness components and improved metacognitive performance.

Conclusions:

• A 12-week multicomponent exercise intervention positively impacts metacognition in preadolescents with obesity.
• Improvements in physical fitness mediate the relationship between exercise and enhanced metacognitive abilities in this population.
• Exercise is a viable strategy to support cognitive development alongside physical health in obese preadolescents.