Getting overweight kids active could help activate their brain power

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2022-08-31 01:00

Australia; International; WA

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In a small study of just over 100 kids, international researchers, including an Australian, say that getting kids with overweight or obesity onto an aerobic and resistance training program could help with their intelligence and cognitive flexibility. They found the 20-week program significantly improved the kids' brain power, and had the added benefit of a small boost to their academic performance.

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conference: JAMA Network Open

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Murdoch University

Funder: This study was supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (DEP2013-47540, DEP2016-79512-R, and DEP2017-91544-EXP), European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Commission (667302), and by the Alicia Koplowitz Foundation. Additional funding was obtained from the Andalusian Operational Programme supported with ERDF (FEDER in Spanish, B-CTS-355-UGR18). This study was additionally supported by the University of Granada, Plan Propio de Investigación, Visiting Scholar grants and Excellence actions: Units of Excellence; Unit of Excellence on Exercise, Nutrition and Health (UCEENS) and by the Junta de Andalucía, Consejería de Conocimiento, Investigación y Universidades and the ERDF (SOMM17/6107/UGR). This study was further supported by the EXERNET Research Network on Exercise and Health (DEP2005-00046/ACTI) and by the High Council of Sports (09/UPB/19). Dr Mora-Gonzalez was supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (FPU 14/06837) and the Junta de Andalucía. Dr Cadenas-Sanchez has been supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (FPI-BES-2014-068829 and FJC2018-037925-I). Dr Esteban-Cornejo is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (FJCI-2014-19563, IJCI-2017-33642, and RYC2019-027287-I). Dr Migueles has been supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (FPU15/02645). Dr Solis-Urrawas supported by a grant from the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID)/BECAS Chile/72180543. Dr Verdejo- Román is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (FJCI-2017-33396, IJC2019-041916-I). Dr Rodriguez-Ayllon has been supported by the Ramón Areces Foundation. This work is part of a PhD thesis conducted in the Doctoral Programme in Biomedicine of the University of Granada, Granada, Spain.

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