Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30408073›Full record

Trial reportPloS one2018

Effect of a 20-week physical activity intervention on selective attention and academic performance in children living in disadvantaged neighborhoods: A cluster randomized control trial.

Stefanie Gall, Larissa Adams, Nandi Joubert, Sebastian Ludyga, Ivan Müller, Siphesihle Nqweniso, Uwe Pühse, Rosa du Randt, Harald Seelig, Danielle Smith and 4 more

Open access · goldAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 28 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
28citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
7.7field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

28 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 48 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Stefanie GallDepartment of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0001-6617-4343
Larissa AdamsDepartment of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
Nandi JoubertDepartment of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
Sebastian LudygaDepartment of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Ivan MüllerDepartment of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Siphesihle NqwenisoDepartment of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0001-8793-9624
Uwe PühseDepartment of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Rosa du RandtDepartment of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
Harald SeeligDepartment of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Danielle SmithDepartment of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
Peter SteinmannUniversity of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Jürg UtzingerUniversity of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Cheryl WalterDepartment of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
Markus GerberDepartment of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Nelson Mandela University · ZAUniversity of Basel · CHSwiss Tropical and Public Health Institute · CH

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo evaluate the effect of a 20-week school-based physical activity intervention program on academic performance and selective attention among disadvantaged South African primary school children.

designCluster randomized control trial.

methodsThe study cohort included 663 children from eight primary schools, aged 8-13 years. Data assessment took place between February 2015 and May 2016 following the implementation of a 20-week school-based physical activity program. The d2 test was employed to assess selective attention, while the averaged end-of-year school results (math, life skills, home language, and additional language) were used as an indicator of academic performance. Physical fitness was assessed using the 20-m shuttle run test (VO2 max) and grip strength tests. We controlled for cluster effects, baseline scores in selective attention or academic performance, and potential confounders, such as children's age, gender, socioeconomic status, self-reported physical activity (as determined by a pre-tested questionnaire), body mass index, hemoglobin (as a proxy for anemia, as measured by blood sampling), and soil-transmitted helminth infections (as assessed by the Kato-Katz technique).

resultsOur multivariate analysis suggested that the physical activity intervention had a positive effect on academic performance (p = 0.032), while no effect was found on selective attention (concentration performance; p = 0.469; error percentage; p = 0.237). After controlling for potential confounders, the physical activity condition contributed to the maintenance of academic performance, whereas a decrease was observed in learners in the control condition. Furthermore, physically active and fit children tend to have better concentration performance (CP) than their less fit peers (self-reported activity; p<0.016, grip strength; p<0.009, VO2 max p>0.021).

conclusionA 20-week physical activity intervention contributes to the maintenance of academic performance among socioeconomically deprived school children in South Africa. School administrators should ensure that their school staff implements physical activity lessons, which are a compulsory component of the school by the curriculum.

Indexed as

Academic PerformanceAdolescentAttentionBody Mass IndexChildExerciseFemaleHelminthiasisHumansMalePhysical FitnessSchool Health ServicesSocial ClassSouth AfricaVulnerable Populations

Identifiers

PMID30408073
PMCPMC6224098
OpenAlexW2900243945

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.