Main characteristics of the CMB studies
Study | Design & population | CMB | Control | PA assessment | PA outcome | Performance assessment | Performance Main Outcome |
Author, location | Design, n, girls, age | Deliverer, type, DUR, target INT | Deliverer, type, DUR, INT |
| Percentage of lesson time in MVPA | Type, timings |
|
Hill et al,39 UK | R* by class Within-S n=1224, girls=NR, age=NR 8–11 years | TL, stretching and aerobic exercise (running and hopping to music) at desk, 10–15 min, INT: MPA | Classroom normal lesson. DUR and INT: NR | No assessment | – | COG: paced serial addition, size ordering, listening span, digit-span backwards and digit–symbol encoding. No pre, post at 60 min | Overall:+ve sig effect for CMB (p=0.009; hp2=0.006); sig two-way interaction intervention × group (p<0.001; hp2=0.193). |
Howie et al,34 USA | R by class Within-S n=75, girls=NR, age=NR 9–12 years | RL, Brain BITES, aerobic exercise (marching and running in place with arms). (1) 5 min, (2) 10 min and (3) 20 min. INT: MVPA | (4) RL, classroom activity, DUR: 10 min, INT: SED | Modified SOFIT, 10 s observation. Scale 1–5; 1 lying down, 5 very active | (1) 87% 4.35±0.47 min (2) 43.7% 4.37±0.32 min (3) 21.5% 4.29±0.33 min (4) NR | CB: ToT Pre, post at NR | +ve sig effect on ToT after (2) CMB:10 min (p<0.01, d=0.50). Approaching sig (3) CMB: 20 min (p=0.56, d=0.32) compared with (4) control. |
Howie et al,35 USA | R by class Within-S n=96, girls=NR, age=10.7±0.6 years 9–12 years | RL, Brain BITES, aerobic exercise (marching, jumping and running in place with arms). (1) 5 min, (2) 10 min and (3) 20 min. INT: MVPA | (4) RL, classroom, lesson on exercise science classroom activity, DUR: 10 min, INT: SED | Modified SOFIT, 10 s observation. Scale 1–5; 1 lying down, 5 very active | (1) 80% 4.00±0.43 min (2) 43.5% 4.35±0.33 min (3) 21.3% 4.26±0.37 min (4) 20% 2.01±0.05 min | COG: Trail-making test, digit recall, pre, post at NR AP: timed maths test, pre, post at NR | COG: no difference CMB vs CON. AP:+ve sig effect of (2) CMB: 10 (+1.07, 95% CI (0.03 to 2.12), p=0.04, d=0.24) and (3) CMB: 20 (+1.2, 95% CI (0.15 to 2.26), p=0.02, d=0.27) on maths scores vs (4) control. |
Kubesch et al,37 Germany | R* individual Within-S n=36, girls=42%, age=NR 13–14 years | TL, virtual Berlin Marathon, jogged on spot with arm movements, DUR: 5 min, INT: NR | Watched students complete virtual Berlin Marathon | No assessment | – | COG: Flanker, dots task, pre, post at immediate, post at after next lesson | COG: no sig effect of the CMB. |
Ma et al40 Canada | Within-S Grade 2 n=20, irls=25%, age=NR 7–8 years Grade 4 n=27, girls=58.3%, age=NR 9–10 years | Leader NR, FUNterval, 20 s VPA, 10 s rest. squats, jumping jacks, scissor kicks, jumping and running on the spot. DUR: 4 min (10 min session), INT: VPA | RL, lecture on healthy eating, physical activity and history of sport, DUR: 10 min, INT: non-active | No assessment | – | CB: ToffT No pre, post at NR | Grade 2: sig ↓ in ToffT CMB vs CON; passive (↓9%, p<0.01, d=0.74), verbal (↓3%, p<0.05, d=0.45), motor (↓15%, p<0.01, d=1.076) Grade 4: sig ↓ in ToffT CMB vs CON; passive (↓4%, p<0.05, d=0.31), motor (↓7%, p<0.01, d=0.48). Greatest effect of CMB for those in lowest quartile for ToffT. |
Ma et al38 Canada | R* class Within-S n=88, girls=50%, age=NR 8–11 years | Leader NR, FUNterval, 20 s VPA, 10 s rest. squats, jumping jacks, scissor kicks, jumping and running on the spot. DUR: 4 min (10 min session), INT: VPA | RL lecture on kinesiology, DUR: 10-min, INT: non-active | No assessment | – | COG: d2-test: (TN) total characters processed, (E) number of errors, (Eo) number of errors of omission, (Ec) mistakes including relevant symbols, (E%) per cent of TN that were errors. No pre, post at 10 min | COG: sig ↓ for CMB vs CON on d2-test; ↓E (−4, p<0.01, d=0.29), ↓Eo (−3, p=0.01, d=0.18), ↓Ec (−2, p=0.03, d=0.16), ↓E% (−1%, p<0.01, d=0.23), Sig ↑TN control vs CMB (+9, p=0.04, d=0.12). |
Schmidt et al,33 Switzerland | R* individual Between-S n=92, girls=45.7%, Age=NR 11–12 years | Leader NR, DUR: 10 min, INT: NR (1) High-PA high-COG load. Number connection test. (2) High-PA low-COG load, running at different speeds like a car | Leader NR, DUR: 10 min, INT: NR. (3) SED with high-COG load, trail-making test. (4) SED with low-COG load, listened to age appropriate story | Heart rate (note: presented as mean for session DUR) | (1) 154.05±25.73 (2) 144±63±35.40 (3) 102.92±21.07 (4) 87.93±9.81 | COG: d2-R test; (FA) number of correct responses minus commission errors, (TN) total number of symbols processed, (E%) per cent of TN that were errors. Pre, post at 0 min | High-COG (1 and 3) performed better than low-COG (2 and 4) for FA (p=0.044, hp2=0.046) but not TN or E% (p>0.05). Attention: no sig effects of physical exertion or interaction of COG exertion and physical exertion were found (p>0.05). |
van den Berg et al,36 The Netherlands | R* by class Within-S (1) n=66, girls=47%, age=11.6±0.7 years, NR (2) n=71, girls=44%, age=11.7±0.8 years, NR (3) n=47, girls=49%, age=12.1±0.5 years, NR | ML, DUR: 12 min, INT: MPA, (1) aerobic exercise: marching and running in place. (2) Coordination exercises: dance steps, bilateral exercises. (3) Resistance exercises: squats, shoulder raises | RL seated lesson on exercise and movement, DUR: 12 min, INT: NR | Heart rate MVPA=64%–94% Max HR | (1) 39.5%±27.0% 3.95 min (2) 14.1%±17.3% 1.41 min (3) 18.8%±20.9% 1.88 min | COG: LDST, d2-test of attention. Pre, post at 0 min | No sig acute effects of CMB (combined) vs CON on LDST performance (p=0.40) or d2-test (p=0.34). CMB mode did not moderate effects on LDST (p=0.18) or d2-test (p=0.55). |
*Randomisation procedure not reported.
AP, academic performance; Between-S, between subjects; BMI, body mass index; CB, classroom behaviour; CMB, classroom movement break; COG, cognition; CON, control; DUR, duration; INT, intensity; LDST, letter–digit substitution test; LPA, light physical activity; ML, movie led and researcher supported; MPA, moderate physical activity; MVPA, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity; n, number; NR, not reported; PA, physical activity; PAL, physically active learning;RL, researcher led; SED, sedentary; sig, significant; SOFIT, System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time; TL, teacher led; ToffT, time off task; ToT, time on task; VPA, vigorous physical activity; Within-S, within subjects; .