Physical activity, fitness, and obesity influences on cognitive and motor functions

Keye, Shelby A.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/120374 Copy

Description

Title

Physical activity, fitness, and obesity influences on cognitive and motor functions

Author(s)

Keye, Shelby A.

Issue Date

2023-04-18

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Khan, Naiman

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Khan, Naiman

Committee Member(s)

• Petruzzello, Steven
• Aguiñaga, Susan
• Pindus, Dominika

Department of Study

Kinesiology & Community Health

Discipline

Kinesiology

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• Children
• Cognition
• Motor Function
• Physical Activity
• Obesity
• Socioeconomic Status

Abstract

Objectives The prevalence of inactivity and obesity during childhood are a growing concern as physical activity, fitness, and weight status continue to exhibit significant influence on cognitive and motor health. These are important relationships to study as they are critical to children’s healthy development and contribute to their success in school and life. Although, gaps in the literature remain surrounding children in younger age groups and from disadvantaged backgrounds, as well as a clear understanding of some of the underlying neural mechanisms behind certain cognitive and motor functions. Therefore, this dissertation aims to investigate the relationship and influence of physical activity, fitness, and weight status on cognitive and motor functions using both behavioral and neuroelectric metrics. Aim 1 investigated the relationship between six-minute walking test (6MWT) distance walked and preschool-aged children’s academic abilities, and behavioral and event-related potentials (ERP) indices of cognitive control. Aim 2 investigated the effect of weight status on relationships between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and the lateralized readiness potential (LRP), a neuroelectric index of motor response planning and activation among adults. Aim 3 aimed to assess changes in body composition, fitness, and cognitive abilities in children from low-income households after a summer physical activity program and explored whether time spent in MVPA was related to adiposity and cognitive changes among school-aged children. Finally, the purpose of aim 4 was to assess the relationship between the LRP components and components of motor coordination, as well as examine associations between weight status and neural and behavioral motor functions in a sample of school-aged children from varied socioeconomic backgrounds. Methods Both cross sectional and school-based interventions were utilized to determine the influence of physical activity, fitness, and weight status on cognitive and motor abilities in both children and adults. For Aim 1, 59 children (25 females; age: 5.0 ± 0.6 years) completed a 6MWT (mean distance: 449.6 ± 82.0 m) to estimate cardiorespiratory fitness. The Woodcock Johnson Early Cognitive and Academic Development Test evaluated academic abilities. A modified Eriksen flanker, hearts and flowers task, and auditory oddball task eliciting ERPs (N2, P3) assessed cognitive control. Aim 2 included 165 adults (98 females) that wore ActiGraph wGT3X+ accelerometers to measure physical activity. Behavioral outcomes were recorded during the modified Eriksen Flanker task to assess attentional inhibition. EEG recordings were taken to elucidate response- (LRP-R) and stimulus-locked (LRP-S) LRPs, and P3. Participants were separated into groups based on the BMI cutoff of 30 kg/m2 (i.e., non-obese [n=88], obese [n=77]). Independent t-tests and ANCOVA were conducted to determine differences between groups. Regression analyses within each group were conducted to determine relationships between MVPA and LRP and P3 amplitude and latencies. For Aim 3, participants (N=77) attended a three-week physical activity program that met Monday-Friday. Height and weight, bio-electrical impedance analysis, aerobic fitness (i.e., PACER), and cognitive function (i.e., modified flanker task) were all conducted during week 1 and week 3. MVPA was collected via hip worn accelerometer only during the hours children attended the program. Paired t-tests were conducted to determine changes between week 1 and 3, and regression analyses were conducted to assess whether program participation (assessed via changes in MVPA between week 1 and week 3 and days attended) was related to changes in fitness, adiposity, and cognitive function. Finally, for Aim 4, 35 children ages 7-13 participated in a cross-sectional study in which motor function was assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children 2nd edition (ABC-2), where balance, manual dexterity, and aiming and catching were three scored coordination components. To elicit and analyze the stimulus locked (LRP-S) and response locked (LRP-R) LRPs, participants completed a modified flanker task. Variables of interest included differences waves between trial types for mean amplitude and peak latency, as well as behavioral performance variables assessing differences in accuracy and reaction between trial types. Height and weight were utilized to calculate body mass index (BMI) and bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) was used to estimate body fat percentage. Step wise regressions were conducted to test the association between LRP and Movement ABC-2 components and linear regressions were conducted to examine the relationship between BMI, body fat percentage and LRP and Movement ABC-2 components. Results Analyses conducted for aim 1, after adjusting for adiposity, diet, and demographics, linear regressions revealed positive relationships between 6MWT distance and General Intellectual Ability (β = 0.25, Adj R2 = 0.04, p = 0.04) and Expressive Language (β = 0.30, Adj R2 = 0.13, p = 0.02). 6MWT distance was positively correlated with congruent accuracy (β = 0.29, Adj R2 = 0.18, p < 0.01) and negatively with incongruent reaction time (β = −0.26, Adj R2 = 0.05, p = 0.04) during the flanker task, and positively with homogeneous (β = 0.23, Adj R2 = 0.21, p = 0.04) and heterogeneous (β = 0.26, Adj R2 = 0.40, p = 0.02) accuracy on the hearts and flowers task. Aim 2 analyses revealed no difference in MVPA between weight groups after adjustment for age and sex, although the non-obese group had significantly higher incongruent accuracy (p=0.007). Only in the obese group, MVPA was positively associated with LRP-R incongruent (=0.014, p=0.029) and LRP-S congruent (=0.013, p=0.008) amplitude, and inversely associated with LRP-S incongruent (=-0.488, p=0.017) and P3 congruent (=0.013, p=0.008) fractional area latency. MVPA was associated with pre-motor planning and activation only among persons with obesity. Results for Aim 3 indicated that 80% of participants represented racial minorities and 67% had a household income below $40,000. T-tests revealed significant changes in PACER score (10.71  7.72 to 13.33  10.71; p<0.001) and incongruent accuracy on the flanker task (65.94%  23.83 to 70.35%  22.31; p<0.006). There was no significant change in BMI-for-age percentile or body fat percentage. Additionally, regression analyses revealed no significant relationship between change in MVPA or attendance, and changes in PACER, flanker task performance, BMI, or body fat percentage. Lastly for Aim 4, stepwise regressions revealed that LRP-S mean amplitude difference (=0.401, P=0.042) and reaction time interference scores (=0.408, P=0.048) were positively associated with balance after including age, sex, BMI, time spent in MVPA in step 1. LRP-S did not predict manual dexterity or aiming and catching, and LRP-R did not predict any coordination skills. Additionally, reaction time interference and accuracy interference did not predict any other coordination skill. Body fat percentage (=-0.44, P=0.044) but not BMI (=-0.364, P=0.082) predicted the balance component. Neither weight status metric predicted manual dexterity or aiming and catching. Conclusions This dissertation provided evidence of relationships between fitness and cognitive and motor functions on both a behavioral and neuroelectric level. Additionally, results indicated a potential influence of weight status on these relationships and revealed the potential for increased physical activity participation to benefit physical and cognitive health during the summer months. More specifically, Aim 1 indicated that higher fit pre-school children performed better on tasks assessing cognitive and academic abilities independent of diet and weight status, and had faster N2 latencies and greater P3 amplitudes at the trend level. Aim 2, indicated that time spent in MVPA was significantly and selectively related to LRP amplitude and latencies in individuals with obesity. For Aim 3, children that participated in a summer physical activity program targeted toward children affected by poverty exhibited significant improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive abilities, and no changes in body composition. However, benefits in cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive abilities, and adiposity were not directly related to changes in physical activity. Finally, Aim 4 revealed that neural resources related to motor function, behavioral cognitive performance, and adiposity were selectively related to balance and no other metrics of motor coordination skills (i.e., manual dexterity and aiming and catching). Specifically, changes in the activity of underlying neural mechanisms of motor planning and response selection were positively associated with balance skills. Conversely, body fat percentage was negatively related to balance. Future intervention and longitudinal studies ought to be conducted to better understand these findings as this work is relevant for researchers, public health administrators, teachers, and other community members aiming to design and create better opportunities to for children to benefit from positive health behavior engagement.

Graduation Semester

2023-05

Type of Resource

Thesis

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2023 Shelby Keye

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