Acute 3.5-minute light-intensity exercise enhances executive function and psychological mood in children

Abstract

Abstract Physical inactivity and sedentary behavior among children are increasing globally, raising concerns about physical and mental health, as well as brain development. Creating effective exercise programs in everyday settings (e.g., classrooms) is essential for supporting children’s health. We examined whether brief, light-intensity exercise improves executive function (Color-word Stroop task; CWST) and mood (Two-Dimensional Mood Scale; TDMS). Thirty-one children (12.0 ± 1.1 years, 54.8% boys) completed a two-condition crossover trial: (1) control, where participants completed CWST and TDMS before and after 15-min seated rest; and (2) exercise, performing a 3.5-min light-intensity exercise during rest. A two-way repeated-measures ANOVA (Condition × Time) showed significant interactions for incongruent reaction time (F [1,30] = 8.33, η² = 0.22), pleasure (F [1,30] = 11.74, η² = 0.28), and arousal (F [1,30] = 5.91, η² = 0.17), indicating faster responses and higher pleasure after exercise versus control, with arousal maintained after exercise but declining in the control condition. However, no significant associations were observed between reaction time or pleasure improvements and prefrontal cortex activation changes. No significant interactions occurred for neutral reaction time or error rates. These findings suggest that this simple intervention could be a practical strategy for improving cognitive and emotional outcomes in schools.