The Daily Mile™ initiative: Exploring physical activity and the acute effects on executive function and academic performance in primary school children

Morris, Jade L.; Daly-Smith, Andy; Archbold, Victoria S.J.; Wilkins, Emma; McKenna, Jim · 2019 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2019.101583

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Summary

This study investigates the acute effects of The Daily Mile™ (TDM), a widely adopted school-based physical activity intervention, on primary school children’s executive function (EF) and academic performance. Despite TDM’s rapid dissemination and government endorsement, high-quality evidence regarding its cognitive and educational benefits remains scarce, with previous studies suffering from methodological weaknesses. The research aimed to quantify the moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) accumulated during a single TDM session, assess immediate changes in EF and maths fluency compared to standard classroom lessons, and determine if individual MVPA levels moderated these outcomes. The researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial involving 303 primary school children. Participants were randomly assigned to either the TDM intervention (a 15-minute run-walk break) or a control condition (continuing with academic lessons). Executive functions, including inhibitory control and working memory, were assessed using paper-based tests such as the Trail Making Task, Digit Recall, Flanker, and Animal Stroop. Maths fluency was measured using the Maths Addition and Subtraction, Speed and Accuracy Test (MASSAT). Physical activity was objectively monitored via hip-worn accelerometers to ensure treatment fidelity. Data were analyzed using multi-level regression models to account for the nesting of students within classes. Results indicated that the TDM intervention significantly increased MVPA, with participants averaging 10.67 minutes of MVPA compared to 0.44 minutes in the control group. However, MVPA accumulation varied substantially among individuals. Regarding cognitive outcomes, no significant improvements were observed in any executive function measures, regardless of whether children achieved a threshold of 10 minutes of MVPA. For academic performance, a significant time-by-condition interaction was found for maths fluency total scores, favoring the TDM group. This interaction was driven by a non-significant increase in scores for the intervention group and a non-significant decrease for the control group, rather than a robust standalone improvement. The study concludes that while TDM effectively increases acute physical activity levels, it does not yield immediate benefits for executive function. The modest and statistically fragile improvements in maths fluency suggest that the intervention’s impact on academic performance is limited and may be influenced by factors other than cognitive enhancement, such as a break from learning. The findings highlight the variability in individual engagement with TDM and suggest that quantitative exercise alone may be insufficient to boost executive function. The authors recommend combining physical activity with cognitively engaging tasks and emphasize the need for rigorous, individual-level assessment in future school-based interventions.

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