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Meta-Analysis
. 2024 Nov 12;58(21):1295-1306.
doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2024-108444.

Effects of reducing sedentary behaviour by increasing physical activity, on cognitive function, brain function and structure across the lifespan: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Natan Feter  1 , Tomasz S Ligeza  2 , Neha Bashir  3   4 , Ramiya J Shanmugam  3   4 , Bryan Montero Herrera  3   5 , Tamara Aldabbagh  3   6 , Anne-Farah Usman  3   4 , Ayumi Yonezawa  3   4 , Shane McCarthy  3   7 , Danielle Herrera  3   8 , Denise Vargas  3   4 , Emaad M Mir  3   4 , Talha Syed  3   9 , Sanam Desai  3 , Hector Shi  3   9 , William Kim  3   10 , Natalie Puhar  3   9 , Kushi Gowda  3   11 , Olivia Nowak  3   12 , Jin Kuang  3   13 , Flor Quiroz  3   9 , Eduardo L Caputo  14 , Qian Yu  13 , J J Pionke  15 , Liye Zou  13 , Lauren B Raine  16   17 , Gabriele Gratton  9   18 , Monica Fabiani  9   18 , David R Lubans  19   20   21 , Pedro C Hallal  3 , Dominika M Pindus  22   18   23
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Effects of reducing sedentary behaviour by increasing physical activity, on cognitive function, brain function and structure across the lifespan: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Natan Feter et al. Br J Sports Med. .

Abstract

Objective: To examine the acute and chronic effects of reducing prolonged sedentary time (ST) with physical activity (PA) on cognitive and brain health.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data sources: PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, and ProQuest Dissertation and Theses.

Eligibility criteria: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published from inception to 17 June 2024, with healthy participants without cognitive impairment or neurological conditions that affect cognitive functioning, aged ≥4 years, testing acute and chronic effects of reducing ST and/or prolonged ST by reallocating ST to PA on cognitive function, brain function, and structure.

Results: We included 25 RCTs (n=1289) investigating acute (21 studies) and chronic (4 studies) effects on cognitive function (acute: n=20, chronic: n=4) and brain function (acute: n=7, chronic: n=1); there were no studies on brain structure. Acutely interrupting continuous ST with either multiple or a single PA bout improved cognitive function measured from 3 hours to three consecutive days based on 91 effect sizes (g=0.17, 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.29, p=0.005, I 2=45.5%). When comparing single versus multiple PA bouts, only multiple PA bouts yielded a positive effect on cognitive function based on 72 effect sizes (g=0.20, 95% CI: 0.06 to 0.35, p=0.006; I 2=48.8%). Chronic studies reported null findings on cognitive function (n=4), with some evidence of improved neural efficiency of the hippocampus (n=1).

Conclusion: Interrupting ST with PA acutely improves cognitive function. The evidence from chronic studies remains inconclusive.

Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42020200998.

Keywords: brain; physical activity; sedentary behavior.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.