Study Updates
Updates on recently published studies. Thank you to all families who participated!
Check back as papers are published, links will be updated.
Check back as papers are published, links will be updated.
Activity and Number Sense
Last year, as part of the Health Behaviors & Cognition Lab at Michigan State University, I conducted a series of studies examining the relationship between physical activity and number sense in preschool-aged children. Number sense describes our awareness of the relationships between quantities (e.g., is 5 closer to 1 or 7; which of two containers holds more grapes?). We know that physical activity immediately improves attention and the ability to gate out irrelevant information and that greater participation in physical activity across the lifespan supports academic achievement. However, we don't know as much about these relationships in young children (under age 5) or for specific aspects of math achievement, such as number sense. The purpose of this set of projects was to determine if a physically active lesson resulted in better number sense and attention relative to a conventional seated lesson and to examine how greater physical activity participation related to children's attention and number sense.
Study 1 - The immediate impact of physical activity on number sense and attention
In our first study, which conducted mostly from April - August 2019, 63 children ages 3-5 years old completed a computerized number sense task before and after two separate lessons: physically active and seated. Additionally, a separate observer coded how many times children were off-task during the computer game, which tells us about their attention and self-regulation. Children demonstrated similar learning but greater on-task behavior following the physically active lesson relative to the seated lesson. During the physically active lesson, children accrued 9 more minutes of physical activity at or above light intensity and accrued more than 900 more steps than during the seated lesson. These findings demonstrate that physical activity can be incorporated into academic lessons without interfering with children's learning. During a 20-minute lesson, children accrued about 10% of their recommended daily step count, so providing more opportunities to be active throughout the school day can help children meet physical activity guidelines and support their attention during lessons. This study was presented at the American College of Sports Medicine virtual meeting 2020 and are now published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports.
In our first study, which conducted mostly from April - August 2019, 63 children ages 3-5 years old completed a computerized number sense task before and after two separate lessons: physically active and seated. Additionally, a separate observer coded how many times children were off-task during the computer game, which tells us about their attention and self-regulation. Children demonstrated similar learning but greater on-task behavior following the physically active lesson relative to the seated lesson. During the physically active lesson, children accrued 9 more minutes of physical activity at or above light intensity and accrued more than 900 more steps than during the seated lesson. These findings demonstrate that physical activity can be incorporated into academic lessons without interfering with children's learning. During a 20-minute lesson, children accrued about 10% of their recommended daily step count, so providing more opportunities to be active throughout the school day can help children meet physical activity guidelines and support their attention during lessons. This study was presented at the American College of Sports Medicine virtual meeting 2020 and are now published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports.
Study 2 - The impact of physical activity on retention of number sense
In our second study, which conducted mostly from September - December 2019, 73 children ages 4-5 years old completed a computerized number sense task before and after either a physically active or seated lesson and were tested on how well they remembered one week later. Additionally, a separate observer coded how many times children were off-task during the computer game, which tells us about their attention and self-regulation. Children demonstrated similar learning but reduced off-task behavior immediately following the physically active lesson relative to the seated lesson. Additionally, the physically active lesson resulted in a 60% reduction in off-task behavior and 1600% increase in steps relative to the seated lesson. One week later, children showed similar retention following physically active and seated lesson conditions. These findings demonstrate that physical activity can be incorporated into academic lessons without interfering with children's learning and later recall of novel information. During a 20-minute lesson, children accrued about 10% of their recommended daily step count, so providing more opportunities to be active throughout the school day can help children meet physical activity guidelines and support their attention during lessons. This study is currently under review for publication,
In our second study, which conducted mostly from September - December 2019, 73 children ages 4-5 years old completed a computerized number sense task before and after either a physically active or seated lesson and were tested on how well they remembered one week later. Additionally, a separate observer coded how many times children were off-task during the computer game, which tells us about their attention and self-regulation. Children demonstrated similar learning but reduced off-task behavior immediately following the physically active lesson relative to the seated lesson. Additionally, the physically active lesson resulted in a 60% reduction in off-task behavior and 1600% increase in steps relative to the seated lesson. One week later, children showed similar retention following physically active and seated lesson conditions. These findings demonstrate that physical activity can be incorporated into academic lessons without interfering with children's learning and later recall of novel information. During a 20-minute lesson, children accrued about 10% of their recommended daily step count, so providing more opportunities to be active throughout the school day can help children meet physical activity guidelines and support their attention during lessons. This study is currently under review for publication,
Study 3 - The relationships of meeting physical activity, sleep, and screen time guidelines to quantity estimation and attention
In our third study, we combined data from the first lab visit across both studies listed above. Caregivers completed a health history and demographics survey in which they reported weekly participation in physical activity, sleep, and screen time for their children 3-5 years old. Using this survey data, the child's performance on the computer game at pretest, and the off-task behavior coding during the computer game, we examined relationships among children's movement behviors (i.e., physical activity, sleep, screen time), quantity estimation, and attention. Overall, meeting more of the World Health Organization's 24-hour movement guidelines relates to better quantity estimation, and attention mediated this relationship. Importantly, meeting the screen time recommendation (less than 1 hour/day) or being active more days per week related to better quantity estimation. Additionally, accruing more physical activity daily related to better attention, which was associated with better quantity estimation. These findings suggest that policies increasing physical activity in young children relates to better self-regulation, which can help them not miss out on important learning opportunities in the classroom. This study is currently under review for publication and was submitted to a conference for summer 2021.
In our third study, we combined data from the first lab visit across both studies listed above. Caregivers completed a health history and demographics survey in which they reported weekly participation in physical activity, sleep, and screen time for their children 3-5 years old. Using this survey data, the child's performance on the computer game at pretest, and the off-task behavior coding during the computer game, we examined relationships among children's movement behviors (i.e., physical activity, sleep, screen time), quantity estimation, and attention. Overall, meeting more of the World Health Organization's 24-hour movement guidelines relates to better quantity estimation, and attention mediated this relationship. Importantly, meeting the screen time recommendation (less than 1 hour/day) or being active more days per week related to better quantity estimation. Additionally, accruing more physical activity daily related to better attention, which was associated with better quantity estimation. These findings suggest that policies increasing physical activity in young children relates to better self-regulation, which can help them not miss out on important learning opportunities in the classroom. This study is currently under review for publication and was submitted to a conference for summer 2021.
Paper 4 - Communicating findings to educators
In a fourth paper, we are discussing findings of the 3 studies and the current state of research to suggest how physical activity can be incorporated into academic learning and communicating findings to educators. Usually physical activity is considered to be separate from the teaching of academic subjects (e.g., math). In this paper, we are sharing our findings and communicating evidence-based strategies to educators so they can start to incorporate activity-promoting lessons and reduce time spent seated in the classroom. This paper is currently under review for publication.
In a fourth paper, we are discussing findings of the 3 studies and the current state of research to suggest how physical activity can be incorporated into academic learning and communicating findings to educators. Usually physical activity is considered to be separate from the teaching of academic subjects (e.g., math). In this paper, we are sharing our findings and communicating evidence-based strategies to educators so they can start to incorporate activity-promoting lessons and reduce time spent seated in the classroom. This paper is currently under review for publication.
What's next?
Now, as a postdoctoral researcher in the AHA! Lab at University of Pennsylvania, we are starting a longitudinal study examining how day-to-day fluctuations in children and their caregivers' movement behaviors (physical activity, sleep, and screen time) influences their emotions, attention, and self-regulation. Check out more about the Activity and Behaviors in Children's Daily Life (ABCD) Study.
Now, as a postdoctoral researcher in the AHA! Lab at University of Pennsylvania, we are starting a longitudinal study examining how day-to-day fluctuations in children and their caregivers' movement behaviors (physical activity, sleep, and screen time) influences their emotions, attention, and self-regulation. Check out more about the Activity and Behaviors in Children's Daily Life (ABCD) Study.
