title: Impacts of coordinative training on normal weight and overweight/obese children's attentional performance.
abstract: This study investigated the efficacy of a physical activity (PA) program to improve the attention span in normal weight vs. overweight/obese children. The study was designed as a cluster-randomized controlled intervention. One hundred fifty-seven normal weight and overweight/obese primary school children were randomly divided in three cohorts: Traditional PA, Coordinative PA and a Control group (not attending any PA). Before and after 5 months of intervention, children were administered the d2-R test of attention. Results showed that participants' attentional performances were significantly affected by Time (pre vs. post; P < 0.01) and by Time × Group interaction (traditional vs. coordinative vs. control; P < 0.001), revealing significant different effects of intervention/exercise modality on children's attentional performance, independently of their weight status. These data suggest that a 5-month school-based PA intervention can improve the cognitive performance in children. Further, the Coordinative PA intervention resulted in the most significant improvement in children's attention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico" Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Chiara
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gallotta
authors.affiliation: Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico" Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Gian Pietro
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Emerenziani
authors.affiliation: Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico" Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iazzoni
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Exercise Science, Appalachian State University Boone, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico" Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baldari
authors.affiliation: Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico" Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guidetti
keywords: attention; concentration; physical exercise; school context; weight status