Table 1
Characteristics of the articles analysed.
| Article | Study objective | Sample | Measurement instrument | Variables | Outcomes |
| Contreras-Jordán et al. (2020) | Ascertain the influence of AB on children’s attention and concentration | N = 73 children aged 9-11 years | d2 Test of Attention | Attention and concentration | Significant improvement in attention and concentration after 10 sessions of 15 minutes of AB. |
| Watson et al. (2019) | Assess the feasibility and efficacy of a 6-week active break pilot programme on academic achievement, class-room behaviour and physical activity. | N = 374 children aged 8-10 years | Wheldall Assessment of Reading Passages (WARP) Test Westwood One Minute Test of Basic Number Facts ActiGraph GT3-X accelerometer Direct Behaviour Rating Scale | Academic achievement PA Classroom behaviour | On-task behaviour at the individual level was shown to increase in the intervention group, with greater improvements observed in boys. However, there was no intervention effect on classroom on-task behaviour at whole class level. No intervention effects were found for mathematics, reading or PA during the school day. |
| Janssen et al. (2014) | The objective of this study was to gain an insight into the acute effects of a short bout of physical activity on selective attention in primary school children. | N = 123 children aged 10-11 years | TEA-Ch test | Attention in the classroom | Attention scores after the PA break were significantly better (p < .001) than after the ‘no break’ condition. Attention scores were best after the moderate intensity PA break. |
| Egger et al. (2019) | The objective of the study was to examine the effects of AB with high physical exertion and high cognitive engagement (combo group), high physical exertion and low cognitive engagement (aerobic group), or low physical exertion and high cognitive engagement (cognition group). | N = 142 children aged 7-9 years | Self-Assessment Manikin ActiGraph GT3X Eriksen flanker task Heidelberger Rechentest Hamburger Schreib-Probe (HSP 1–10) Salzburger Lesescreening PAQ-C | PA level Academic performance Cognitive outcomes (mathematics, spelling and reading, etc.) | The combo group benefited by showing improved cognitive demand. The cognition group benefited only in terms of academic performance, while the aerobic group remained unaffected. The inclusion of cognitively engaging PA breaks seems to be a promising way to enhance schoolchildren’s cognitive functions. |
| Mok et al. (2020) | Evaluate the effectiveness of a programme in changing children’s attitudes toward PA. | N = 3036 pupils aged 8-11 years | Attitudes toward Physical Activity Scale (APAS) | Attitudes toward doing PA | This study provides evidence about improvements in terms of learning experience, attitudes towards PA and personal motivation. |
| Schmidt et al. (2016) | Ascertain the separate and/or combined effects of physical exertion and cognitive engagement induced by physical activity breaks on primary school children’s attention. | N = 92 children aged 11-12 years | Test D2 PANAS-C | Pupils’ attention | Physical exertion had no effect on any measure of children’s attentional performance. Cognitive engagement was the crucial factor leading to increased focused attention and enhanced processing speed. |
| Suarez-Manzano et al. (2018) | Analyse studies assessing the effect of integrated PA performance during school breaks on attention in children and adolescents. | Systematic review | Pupils’ attention | All the studies used physical exercise of moderate-vigorous intensity lasting between 5 and 30 min. Seven studies showed improvement and two showed no change. Differences were found according to sex. Finally, the influence of the duration and intensity of the intervention was observed. | |
| Paschen et al. (2019) | Investigate the effects of exercise with low and high cognitive demands on speed of processing and accuracy of performance in tasks examining inhibition, working memory and cognitive flexibility in children. | Systematic review | Working memory Inhibition Cognitive flexibility | Ten studies with a total of 890 participants revealed positive effects on working memory performance after exercise with low cognitive demands compared to seated rest, mixed results for inhibition after exercise with high and low cognitive demands and mixed results for cognitive flexibility with low cognitive demands. | |
| Mavilidi et al. (2020) | Investigate whether physical activity could decrease anxiety levels and improve maths test performance in sixth-grade children. | N = 68 children aged 11-12 years | The Cognitive Anxiety test Questionnaire Math Test | Anxiety levels Academic performance | Low-anxiety level pupils performed better in the maths test than high-anxiety level children. No differences were found for any of the variables between the activity break condition and the control condition. |
| Mavilidi et al. (2019) | This study examined the effects of different types of classroom physical activity breaks on children’s ontask behaviour, academic achievement and cognition. | N = 87 pupils aged 9-11 years | Behaviour observation of students in schools The Applied behaviour analysis for teachers Individual Basic Facts Assessment Tool The Flanker test | On-task behaviour Academic performance Executive functions | Significant effects were found for on-task behaviour. Academic performance in mathematics was improved. No effect on executive functions was found. |
| Schmidt et al. (2019) | Investigate the effects of specifically designed physical activities on foreign language vocabulary learning and attentional performance. | N = 104 children aged 8-10 years | Cued recall test Test D2 | Academic performance Attention | Embedded learning with PA was more effective in teaching children new words than the control condition. However, children’s focused attention did not differ across the three conditions. |
| Masini et al. (2020) | Investigate the effects of AB on PA levels, classroom behaviour, cognitive functions and academic performance in primary school children. | Systematic review | PA level Classroom behaviour Cognitive functions Academic performance | A significant effect was found in increasing PA levels in primary school children. Regarding classroom behaviour, time spent on task during lessons significantly increased. On the other hand, the effects on cognitive functions and academic achievement (mathematics, reading) were not conclusive. | |
| Mazzoli et al. (2019) | Assess the feasibility of implementing a cognitively challenging motor task as an AB in schools. | n = 12 teachers and n = 34 pupils | Interviews | Effect of implementing ABs in classrooms | Teachers viewed the cognitively challenging motor task as appropriate and potentially beneficial for children. Children reported enjoying the ABs. Teachers in special schools viewed the task as complex and potentially frustrating for children. |
| Buchele-Harris et al. (2018) | This study examined the effects of 4-week, daily 6-minute ABs on attention and concentration in school-aged children. | N = 116 pupils age 10 years | Test D2 | Attention and concentration | Significant increases in processing speed and attention span were found compared to the control group. There was significant improvement in the pupils’ concentration performance. |
| Mahar (2011) | The study’s objective was to describe the measurement of on-task behaviour and review the research on the effects of short physical activity breaks on attention-to-task in primary school pupils. | Systematic review | Attention | The limited evidence suggests a small improvement in attention-to-task following PA breaks. Pupils who participated in classroom-based physical activities that incorporate academic concepts demonstrated significantly better improvements in attention-to-task than control group participants. | |
| Routen et al. (2017) | The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which ABs are implemented and also investigate how they affect school performance. | 5 classes of 9-10 year-olds | The Children’s Activity Rating Scale The School Physical Activity Promotion Competence Questionnaire Actigraph accelerometer (GT3X or GT3X+) Test D2 | Cognitive functions PA level | No results were found, as the programme has not been implemented. |
| Rizal et al. (2019) | The purpose of this study was to measure the effect of this programme on the stages of change, decisional balance, processes of change, self-efficacy and leisure-time exercise among Malay ethnic primary school children. | N = 322 children aged 10-11 years | Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ) The process of change questionnaire Plotniko 10-item decisional balance scale The three-factor, 18-item self-ecacy scale originated from Bandura | Processes of change Decisional balance Self-efficacy | It showed significant changes in cognitive processing. In addition, a significant interaction effect was observed for stages of change. |
| Morris et al. (2019) | Show improvements in PA and educational benefits such as executive function and academic performance using The Daily Mile (TDM). | N = 303 8.99 ± 0.5 years | EF tests (Trail Making Task; Digit Recall; Flanker; Animal Stroop) Maths fluency test (Maths Addition and Subtraction, Speed and Accuracy Test). GT9X, GT3X + accelerometers | Executive functions Academic performance PA | TDM revealed significantly greater PA (+10.23 min) and reduced sedentary time (−9.28 min) compared to control. Academic performance improved significantly. |
| Ruiz-Hermosa et al. (2019) | Evaluate the link between active commuting to and from school and academic achievement in children and adolescents. | Systematic review | Cognitive performance and academic achievement | No differences were found in executive functions. There was insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between active commuting to and from school and cognitive performance and academic achievement. |
