Mixed exercise improved inhibition accuracy in a review of youth trials
Mixed exercise favored accuracy on tasks testing the ability to hold back responses. Results for response speed followed a different pattern.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Mixed exercise improved average accuracy on inhibitory-control tests compared with control groups in trials involving children and adolescents. Whether these results translate into better everyday functioning remains unclear. The review also examined exercise amount, but the abstract provides too little detail to turn its findings into a practical program for individual children.
This explanation is based on the abstract alone. It does not define the exercise categories, describe control conditions or report trial durations, leaving the tested programs unclear.
What researchers found
Inhibition accuracy: standardized mean difference
Mixed exercise versus controls; assessment timing was not reported. Average accuracy was higher by 0.52 standard deviations, a unit based on how widely scores vary.
Accuracy and speed differed
Snack exercise had the largest reported reduction in response time, while its accuracy result was not statistically significant. Exercise amount was associated with accuracy, but showed no statistically significant relationship with response time.
Reading the estimate
The standardized scale lets researchers pool results from different accuracy tests. The estimate describes an average difference between groups, while the credible interval indicates uncertainty. It does not predict each child’s response.
The original publication
Optimal physical activity type and dosage for improving inhibitory control in children and adolescents: a dose-response network meta-analysis.
Wang J, Zheng Z, Zhou Z et al.
Front Psychol · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41909583
- Record checked
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