Effect sizes for a meta-analytical review of the effects of an acute, single bout of walking on executive function in healthy adults 1900-2000

Crooke, Ranulf and Paterson, Craig and Fryer, Simon (2021). Effect sizes for a meta-analytical review of the effects of an acute, single bout of walking on executive function in healthy adults 1900-2000. [Data Collection]. Colchester, Essex: UK Data Service. 10.5255/UKDA-SN-854568

Data description (abstract)

Executive functions (EF) are a set of cognitive skills that help adaptation to novel or complex situations, and include working memory, inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility. Evidence suggests a single bout of aerobic physical activity (PA) may improve EF. No reviews have specifically examined the effect of walking on EF. Walking is a cost free, easily accessible, and a convenient form of PA which has diverse health benefits. The objective was to investigate the effect of a single bout of walking on EF. In terms of the methods used, a three-level meta-analysis was conducted with sub-group analysis including PA intensity, duration and time delay to cognitive testing. Inclusion criteria were: (1) Population: participants aged 18-65 y with no known diseases or cognitive impairments; (2) Intervention: an acute, single bout of light to moderate intensity walking as the independent variable; (3) Comparator: a control group/visit with a period of physical inactivity prior to cognitive testing; (4) Outcome variable: evaluated EF via a time or accuracy metric; (5) provided data sufficient to calculate an effect size estimate.
Effect sizes were calculated from all studies included in a meta-analytical review of the effects of an acute, single bout of walking on executive function in healthy adults.

Data creators:

Creator Name	Affiliation	ORCID (as URL)
Crooke Ranulf	University of Bath	https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8571-7315
Paterson Craig	University of Gloucestershire	https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3125-9712
Fryer Simon	University of Gloucestershire	https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0376-0104

Sponsors:

N/A

Topic classification:

Health

Keywords:

WALKING, COGNITIVE PROCESSES, EXERCISE (PHYSICAL ACTIVITY), MEMORY, PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES, HEALTH, ADULTS, SKILL

Project title:

A meta-analytical review of the effects of an acute, single bout of walking on executive function in healthy adults.

Project dates:

From	To
1 January 2020	30 November 2020

Date published:

11 Jan 2021 16:45

Last modified:

11 Jan 2021 17:04

Coverage and Methodology

Temporal coverage:

From	To
1 January 1900	29 January 2020

Collection period:

Date from:	Date to:
29 January 2020	1 March 2021

Country:

United Kingdom

Data collection method:

Four databases were searched on 29th January 2020: PubMed, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus and PsychNET. The search strategy comprised the search terms, inclusive of the specific EF tasks considered, and logical operators set out below. Search parameters included articles from database inception to the conduction of the search in January 2020. Reference lists from any relevant retrieved studies were also screened additional studies to be included.

Acute OR single
AND
exercise OR “physical activity” OR “physical exertion” OR “physical training” OR walk* OR aerob*
AND
cognit* OR executive OR decision OR inhib* OR “working memory” OR “cognitive flexibility” OR “unitary construct” OR “erickson flankers task” OR “trail making test” OR “verbal fluency” OR “word fluency” OR “decision making” OR “incompatible reaction time” OR “stroop interference” OR “alternate uses task” OR “random number generation” OR “digit span” OR “wisconsin card sorting” OR “raven's progressive matrices” OR “math* problem solving” OR “logical reasoning” OR “task switch*” OR “task-switch*” OR “goal maint*” OR "n-back" OR "n back" OR "one back" OR "one-back" OR "two back" OR " 2-back" OR "stop signal" OR "stop-signal" OR "go no go" OR "go-no-go" OR "go/no-go" OR "sternberg" OR "brown-peterson" OR "brown peterson" OR "task switch*" OR "set shift*"

Observation unit:

Text unit

Kind of data:

Numeric

Type of data:

Historical data

Resource language:

English

Access and Administration