Effectiveness of six weeks of school-based active breaks on cardiorespiratory fitness and working memory index in elementary schoolchildren

Abstract

Background: The classroom environment provides an ideal setting for implementing physical activity interventions. Objective: To evaluate the effect of a six-week intervention with active breaks on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and working memory index (WMI) in schoolchildren. Method: The study involved 61 elementary schoolchildren aged 10–11 years (mean age: 10.48 ± 0.5 years). Participants were randomly allocated to either the experimental group (EG) or the control group (CG). The EG performed six active breaks of four minutes and 30 seconds each during the school day over a period of six weeks. The CG completed their regular school day. CRF was assessed with the Six-Minute Walking Test and WMI through the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. To assess the effects of the intervention, a two-way mixed repeatedmeasures analysis of variance was performed. Statistical significance was established at p < 0.05. Results: A significant time × group interaction was observed for CRF on maximum oxygen consumption (EG pre = 31.0 ± 7.46; post = 35.7 ± 7.66 ml∙kg⁻¹∙min⁻¹ vs CG pre = 33.6 ± 4.96; post = 27.9 ± 5.69 ml∙kg⁻¹∙min⁻¹, F = 45.86, p < 0.001, ES = 1.1) between the EG and the CG. There were no significant differences in time interaction between groups for WMI (EG pre = 92.2 ± 15.5; post = 91.4 ± 17.1 vs CG pre = 89.7 ± 10.2; post = 95.0 ± 14.3, F = 3.105, p < 0.083). Conclusion: This study suggests that six active breaks during a school day for six weeks are effective for improving CRF in schoolchildren. However, the effects of these interventions on working memory require further investigation. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05403996.