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Relationship between physical fitness and executive function in preschool children: a cross-sectional study

Zhaowen Zhou1, Yiping Chen2, Ke Huang2

  • 1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.

BMC Sports Science, Medicine & Rehabilitation
|December 5, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Physical fitness, particularly speed-agility and lower limb strength, is linked to better inhibitory control in preschoolers. This finding helps in developing targeted physical activity programs for children with executive function challenges.

Area of Science:

  • Child Development
  • Sports Science
  • Cognitive Neuroscience

Background:

  • Physical fitness (PF) is crucial for children's holistic development, impacting both physical and cognitive functions.
  • Growing research highlights the connection between physical fitness and executive functions.
  • Clarity on specific PF components influencing distinct executive function domains is needed for effective interventions in children with executive dysfunction.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between various physical fitness components and specific executive function domains in preschool children.
  • To identify which aspects of physical fitness are most associated with cognitive flexibility, working memory, and inhibitory control.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 272 preschool children (aged 3-6) from 14 kindergartens.
  • Physical fitness was assessed using the National Physical Fitness Measurement (NPFM), including tests for speed-agility (10-m shuttle run test), lower limb strength (standing long jump), and others.
  • Executive functions were evaluated using the dimensional change card sort (cognitive flexibility), digit span test (working memory), and Head-toe-knee-shoulder task (inhibitory control).

Main Results:

  • Significant associations were found between physical fitness and executive function domains.
  • Age was the primary predictor for cognitive flexibility and working memory.
  • Better performance in speed-agility (shuttle run test) and lower limb strength (standing long jump) correlated with higher inhibitory control.

Conclusions:

  • Physical fitness, specifically speed-agility and lower limb strength, is significantly related to inhibitory control in preschool-aged children.
  • These findings suggest that targeted physical activities focusing on these fitness components may benefit the development of inhibitory control.
  • Understanding these links can inform the design of physical intervention programs for children experiencing executive functioning difficulties.
Abstract

Keywords:
Executive functionPhysical fitnessPreschool

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