Acute effects of adding self-control tasks to the Daily Mile on subsequent cognition and enjoyment in children

Dunn, A ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7956-4252, Walters, GWM ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9226-4473, Williams, RA ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1346-7756, Dring, KJ ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9647-3579, Needham, R ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5529-1333, Cooper, SB ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5219-5020 and Boat, R ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4897-8118, 2026. Acute effects of adding self-control tasks to the Daily Mile on subsequent cognition and enjoyment in children. Healthcare, 14 (7): 939. ISSN 2227-9032

Preview

Text 2604570_Boat.pdf - Published version Download (3MB) | Preview

Abstract

Background: Physical activity requiring self-control may yield greater post-activity cognitive improvements. Implementing such tasks within The Daily Mile could enhance cognition further while adding variety to the initiative. This study examined whether the inclusion of self-control tasks within The Daily Mile influences subsequent cognition and enjoyment. Methods: Participants, numbering 99 (10.2 ± 1.1 y), completed three trials (Daily Mile Normal, Daily Mile Self-Control, and resting), using a within-subject, order-balanced, crossover design. The Daily Mile Self-Control involved students completing tasks requiring self-control for 30 s every 2 min within The Daily Mile. Cognitive tests (Stroop test, Sternberg Paradigm, Visual Search test) were administered prior to, immediately following and 45 min following The Daily Mile and resting trials. During the trials, distance covered (m), average heart rate (beats·min−1) and physical activity enjoyment (PACES) were measured. Focus groups explored factors affecting enjoyment during The Daily Mile trials. The effects of physical activity vs. rest on cognitive function were examined first, followed by the effect of adding self-control tasks to The Daily Mile. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the Daily Mile trials on distance covered or physical activity enjoyment. However, average heart rate was significantly higher in The Daily Mile Self-Control compared to The Daily Mile Normal. Compared to rest, The Daily Mile had a positive effect on inhibitory control. Working-memory accuracy maintained following activity, but perceptual accuracy was briefly impaired. Following the addition of self-control tasks, working memory response times improved. However, accuracy on inhibitory control and perception declined immediately after activity, compared to The Daily Mile Normal. Thematic analysis indicated varied perceptions among participants, with some valuing the simplicity and control of The Daily Mile Normal, and others favoring The Daily Mile Self-Control due to the variety and cognitive challenge. Conclusions: Incorporating self-control tasks into The Daily Mile produced mixed cognitive and qualitative responses, compared to The Daily Mile Normal. This suggests that tailoring physical activity to individual preferences may optimize engagement and cognitive outcomes.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Healthcare
Creators:	Dunn, A., Walters, G.W.M., Williams, R.A., Dring, K.J., Needham, R., Cooper, S.B. and Boat, R.
Publisher:	MDPI AG
Date:	April 2026
Volume:	14
Number:	7
ISSN:	2227-9032
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.3390/healthcare14070939 DOI 2604570 Other
Rights:	© 2026 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Divisions:	Schools > School of Science and Technology
Record created by:	Melissa Cornwell
Date Added:	13 Apr 2026 09:38
Last Modified:	13 Apr 2026 09:38
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/55539

Actions (login required)

Edit View

Statistics

Views

Downloads