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Effects of Physical Activity and Micronutrients on Cognitive Performance in Children Aged 6 to 11 Years: A Systematic

Atiah Munirah Meli1, Asma' Ali1, Abbe Maleyki Mhd Jalil2

  • 1Department of Food Science, Faculty of Fisheries and Food Science, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu 21030, Malaysia.

Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)
|January 21, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Physical activity and micronutrients like vitamin B12, zinc, and iron can enhance children's cognitive performance, particularly in subjects like math and English. Further research is needed to determine optimal interventions for cognitive development.

Area of Science:

  • Child Development
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Cognitive performance is crucial during childhood, a key period for brain development.
  • Physical activity and micronutrient intake are potential modulators of cognitive function in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review and meta-analyze the impact of physical activity and micronutrients on cognitive performance in children.
  • To identify specific micronutrients and physical activity parameters influencing cognitive outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2012 and 2021.
  • Searched electronic databases including PubMed and Scopus.
  • Employed random-, fixed-, or pooled-effects models with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for data evaluation.

Main Results:

  • Physical activity showed positive effects on Mathematics (d = 1.12) and attention (d = 0.65).
  • Vitamin B12 significantly improved performance in Mathematics, English, Geography, Science, and Arts.
  • Zinc and Iron positively impacted English, Geography, and Arts, with Iron also benefiting Mathematics.

Conclusions:

  • Physical activity and specific micronutrients (Vitamin B12, Zinc, Iron) demonstrate a positive association with enhanced cognitive performance in children.
  • Future studies should focus on comprehensive interventions with defined physical activity dosages, broader cognitive assessments, and control for dietary intake and other health factors.

Keywords:
childrencognitive performancemicronutrientsphysical activity

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