Effects of High Intensity Interval Training on Executive Function in Children Aged 8–12 Years

Bibliographic Data

ID15460346
AuthorsNobuaki Tottori (0000-0001-5735-5601, Ritsumeikan University), Noriteru Morita (0000-0003-3427-7174, Hokkaido University of Education), Kenji Ueta (Ritsumeikan University), Satoshi Fujita (0000-0002-2297-1647, Ritsumeikan University, corresponding author)
Year2019
Volume16
Issue21
Pages4127-4127
Publication date2019-10-26
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph16214127
OpenAlexW2982182682
LanguageEN
References cited9

This study investigated the effects of a high intensity interval training (HIIT) program on both physical fitness and executive functions in children. Fifty-six children aged 8–12 years participated in this study, and were divided into a HIIT group and a control group. The HIIT group performed three sessions of the 8- to 10-min HIIT program per week for 4 weeks. Before and after the intervention, 20-m shuttle runs, sit-ups, and standing long jumps were assessed as test of physical fitness. In addition, the executive function was assessed using the digit span forward (DSF) test, digit span backward (DSB) test, and Tower of Hanoi test. Only the HIIT group experienced significant improvement when completing the 20-m shuttle run (p = 0.042) and sit-ups (p < 0.001). Regarding executive function, the number of correct answers in DSB test significantly increased only in the HIIT group (p = 0.003). However, the standing long jump, DSF, and the Tower of Hanoi test performance did not change after intervention. The findings of the present study suggest that HIIT has positive effects on a core executive function such as working memory in addition to components of the physical fitness such as cardiorespiratory endurance and muscular endurance

Cardiorespiratory fitness · Cognition · High-intensity interval training · Interval training · Memory span · Multi-stage fitness test · Physical fitness · Physical medicine and rehabilitation · Physical therapy · Test (biology · Working memory · Cardiovascular and exercise physiology · Children's Physical and Motor Development · Medicine · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Psychology