title: Effects of varying type of exertion on children's attention capacity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this investigation was to examine the potential influence of varying types of exertion on immediate attentional performance on 138 primary school boys and girls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects performed three different types of exertion [cognitive exertion (school curricular lesson), physical exertion (traditional physical education lesson), and mixed cognitive and physical exertion (coordinative physical education lesson)] at the same time of the school day for 3 wk. Before and immediately after each exertion session, subjects were administered the d2 Test of Attention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed that participants' attentional performances were significantly affected by exertion type (cognitive exertion vs physical exertion vs mixed cognitive and physical exertion; P < 0.05), by intervention (before vs after; P < 0.05), and by exertion type × intervention interactions (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that varying types of exertion have different beneficial influences on schoolchildren's immediate cognitive performance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Chiara
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gallotta
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guidetti
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Franciosi
authors.forename: Gian Pietro
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Emerenziani
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bonavolontà
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baldari
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*