The Effect of Regular Exercise on Cognition in Special Populations of Children: Overweight and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Childhood overweight/obesity and ADHD are common conditions of interest to researchers investigating the relationship between regular physical activity and children's cognition. Children in these populations are less physically active and have lower cognitive function than typically developing children. Research may identify the effects of regular exercise on cognition relevant to parents, clinicians, and educators struggling to respond to the growing needs presented by these conditions. Observational studies provide promising preliminary evidence of a relationship between regular exercise and cognition in these populations, but few rigorous randomized controlled trials have been conducted. Early results are encouraging. Future randomized trials promise to shed further light on the efficacy of different physical activity programs, elucidate neurobiological mechanisms that may guide refinement of interventions, and develop evidence-based interventions suitable for broad dissemination.