Key result
Higher cardiorespiratory fitness linked to better attention and inhibitory control in young people with ADHD.
Why the study?
It was unknown whether physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness influence cognition, self-control, and resilience in young people with ADHD.
Are physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness associated with cognitive function, self-control, and resilience in young people with ADHD?
Cross-Sectional (n=54)
Yes
Are physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness associated with cognitive function, self-control, and resilience in young people with ADHD?
Effect estimate: r = -0.386
p-value: p=0.004
Higher cardiorespiratory fitness and physical activity intensity are associated with better cognitive function and self-control in young people with ADHD.
Fitness may support attention in ADHD youth; hypothesis-generating and requires prospective trials before practice change.
The aim of the present study was to investigate if physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness influence cognition, self-control, and resilience in young people with ADHD. Fifty-four children with ADHD (12.8±1.4 y) completed questionnaires to assess self-control and resilience, wore an accelerometer for 7 d to assess free-living physical activity, and completed a battery of cognitive function tasks and a multi-stage fitness test (cardiorespiratory fitness). Positive associations were found between cardiorespiratory fitness and attention, measured via performance on the simple Stroop task (r(52)=-0.386, p=0.004) and the congruent Flanker task (r(52)=-0.302, p=0.026), and inhibitory control, measured via performance on the incongruent level of the Flanker task (r(52)=-0.348, p=0.010). Furthermore, a higher proportion of active time spent in high-intensity activities (r(37)=0.370, p=0.021) were associated with higher self-control. No associations were found between physical activity or cardiorespiratory fitness and resilience (all p>0.05). These findings demonstrate the importance of physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness for cognition and self-control in young people with ADHD.
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Sibbick et al. (2024) conducted a cross-sectional in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (n=54). Physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness was evaluated on Attention measured via simple Stroop task inverse efficiency score (r = -0.386, p=0.004). Higher cardiorespiratory fitness was significantly associated with better attention on the simple Stroop task (r = -0.386) and inhibitory control on the incongruent Flanker task (r = -0.348) in young people with ADHD.
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