Enhanced Physical Activity Improves Selected Outcomes in Children With ADHD: Systematic Review.
MinKyoung Song, Deborah Lauseng, Soohee Lee and 2 others
PMID 27226208WHAT IT FOUND
Physical activity is linked to better attention and behavior in children with ADHD, but effects on physical health measures are inconsistent.
The evidence is weak due to small, varied studies, so it supports adding activity to care rather than replacing treatment.
Key findings
01Observational and intervention studies generally show that increased physical activity is associated with improved cognitive functioning and reduced behavioral symptoms in children with ADHD.
02Findings regarding physiological outcomes, such as BMI and heart rate, were inconclusive and inconsistent across the reviewed studies.
03The review authors state that the quality of the included studies was relatively low and that methodological constraints limit the ability to draw specific conclusions.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The review did not formally evaluate the methodological quality or risk of bias of the included studies, which the authors state were generally low. Studies used widely varying measures of physical activity, including different intensities, durations, and types, making it difficult to compare results or recommend specific dosages. Sample sizes in the included studies were often small, and many studies did not report effect sizes, limiting the precision of the findings. The review included both observational and interventional studies, which cannot establish causality, and few randomized controlled trials were available to confirm that physical activity directly causes improvement.
Declared interests
No conflicts of interest were declared by the authors.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the positive findings on attention and behavior as proof that physical activity alone is an effective treatment for ADHD. The underlying studies were mostly observational or small pilots with low quality, and the authors explicitly state that methodological constraints prevent drawing specific causal conclusions.