Effects of Physical Activity Level on Attentional Networks in Young Adults

Fanying Meng, Chun Xie, Fanghui Qiu, Jiaxian Geng and Fengrong Li
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Fanying Meng: Institute of Physical Education, Huzhou University, Huzhou 313000, China
Chun Xie: Department of Physical Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Fanghui Qiu: Department of Physical Education, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
Jiaxian Geng: Institute of Physical Education, Huzhou University, Huzhou 313000, China
Fengrong Li: Department of Physical Education and Military, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 9, 1-15

Abstract: Although physical activity is associated with better attentional functioning in elderly populations or in specific clinical populations, the association between physical activity level and attention has been less studied in young adult populations. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether the positive effects of physical activity on attentional networks extend to young adults. In total, 57 college students were recruited and assigned to one of three groups of physical activity levels (high, moderate, and low) based on their self-reported exercise. Each participant completed the Attention Network Test to evaluate the efficiency of three components of attention: alerting, orienting, and executive control. Compared with the low physical activity group, both the high and moderate physical activity groups exhibited better executive control. In addition, the efficiency of the executive control network was positively correlated with physical activity. By contrast, no statistically significant differences were detected among these three groups for the functioning of the alerting or orienting networks. These findings suggested that physical activity had a positive effect on attention in young adults, with the benefit primarily observed for the executive control component rather than for the alerting and orienting components of attention.

Keywords: physical activity; attentional networks; young adults; sedentary behavior (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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