Exercise review in childhood ADHD reports behavior gains and mixed attention findings
Trials in primary school children reported improvements in behavior and overall ADHD symptoms. Findings for attention and executive cognition were less consistent, and the abstract gives no effect sizes.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
This review asked whether physical activity improves cognition, behavior and hyperactivity symptoms in children with ADHD. It reported statistically significant improvements in behavior and general symptoms, but attention and executive cognition did not consistently improve significantly. The findings therefore support a narrower conclusion than a uniform benefit across every area the researchers studied.
The abstract omits effect sizes, participant totals, intervention durations and comparison conditions. Although the authors describe exercise as safe, they provide no adverse-event results here to support an independent assessment of safety.
Behavior and cognition differ
Reported behavioral improvements covered both externalizing and internalizing problems. Cognitive findings were more mixed. A positive result for overall ADHD symptoms should not be taken to mean that every attention or executive-function measure also improved.
Sleep was a secondary result
The review also mentions better sleep quality as a secondary finding, without quantifying it. This abstract-based account cannot show how large those changes were, how long they lasted or which exercise approaches produced them.
The original publication
Effects of physical activity on cognition, behavior, and hyperactivity symptoms in elementary school children with adhd.
Del Carmen CM, Agustín AA, Javier CS et al.
Acta Psychol (Amst) · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 41274012
- Record checked
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