Effects of Short Physical Activity Breaks on Thinking Skills After University Lectures in Undergraduate Students

NCT07624084 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: 116866
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 42
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this randomized crossover study is to evaluate whether brief Physical Activity Breaks (PABs), implemented immediately after lecture-based academic activity, can improve attentional processing and executive functioning in undergraduate university students. The main questions it aims to answer are: Do OPAB or PABEx improve attentional and executive performance compared to a no-break control condition (NPAB)? Does PABEx provide superior cognitive benefits compared to OPAB? Researchers will compare: OPAB (a standardized 10-minute outdoor walking protocol) PABEx (a 10-minute exergame-based break using Fruit Ninja Kinect) to see if these interventions improve cognitive performance compared to NPAB (supervised passive seated rest), and whether significant differences in cognitive outcomes emerge between OPAB and PABEx. Participants will: Complete cognitive assessments (Trail Making Test A-B and Stroop Color-Word Test) immediately after each condition. Be randomly assigned, in counterbalanced order, to all three conditions across three consecutive weeks separated by a 7-day washout interval. Engage in a 10-minute structured break (OPAB or PABEx) or passive rest (NPAB) following two consecutive hours of seated university lectures, including: Warm-up (2 minutes): low-intensity dynamic movements. Main session (6 minutes): light-to-moderate outdoor walking (OPAB) or Fruit Ninja Kinect exergaming (PABEx). Cool-down (2 minutes): relaxation and gentle stretching exercises. This study will provide insights into the efficacy of brief active breaks as a pragmatic strategy to enhance cognitive efficiency in university students during academically demanding periods.

Conditions

Cognitive Fatigue

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (6)

• Trail Making Test A (TMT-A): Completion time

  Trail Making Test A (TMT-A) assesses visual attention and processing speed. The outcome is the time required to complete the task, measured in seconds. Lower completion times indicate better cognitive performance. Possible scores range from 0 seconds to no predefined maximum value. Unit of Measure Seconds

  3-weeks

• The Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT): Completion Time

  The Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT) assesses selective attention, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control. Participants are required to name the color of visual stimuli and to identify the ink color of color words printed in incongruent colors. The outcome measure is the time required to complete the test, expressed in seconds. Scores range from 0 seconds to no predefined maximum value. Lower scores indicate better cognitive performance. Unit of Measure Seconds

  3-weeks

• Trail Making Test B (TMT-B): Completion Time

  Trail Making Test B (TMT-B) assesses executive function, cognitive flexibility, and set-shifting ability. The outcome is the time required to complete the task, measured in seconds. Lower completion times indicate better cognitive performance. Possible scores range from 0 seconds to no predefined maximum value. Unit of Measure Seconds

  3-weeks

• The Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT): Errors

  The Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT) assesses selective attention, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control. The outcome measure is the number of errors committed during test performance. Scores range from 0 errors to no predefined maximum value. Lower scores indicate better cognitive performance. Unit of Measure Errors

  3-weeks

• Trail Making Test A (TMT-A): Errors

  The Trail Making Test A (TMT-A) assesses visual attention, visual scanning, and processing speed. The outcome measure is the number of errors committed while completing the task. Scores range from 0 errors to no predefined maximum value. Lower scores indicate better cognitive performance. Unit of Measure Errors

  3-weeks

• Trail Making Test B (TMT-B): Errors

  The Trail Making Test B (TMT-B) assesses executive function, cognitive flexibility, and set-shifting ability. The outcome measure is the number of errors committed during task performance. Scores range from 0 errors to no predefined maximum value. Lower scores indicate better cognitive performance. Unit of Measure Errors

  3-weeks

Study Arms (3)

Exergame-based Physical Activity Break (PABEx)

EXPERIMENTAL

Other: Exergame-based Physical Activity Break

Outdoor Physical Activity Break (OPAB),

EXPERIMENTAL

Other: Outdoor Physical Activity Break

No Physical Activity Break (NPAB)

NO INTERVENTION

Interventions

Exergame-based Physical Activity Break OTHER

The PABEx condition consisted of a 10-minute non-immersive exergaming session structured into three phases: (i) Warm-up (2 min): the same dynamic warm-up used in OPAB. (ii) Exergame phase (6 min): participants played Fruit Ninja Kinect, standing at approximately 1.5-2.0 m from a television screen and using a Kinect motion-sensing controller to perform rapid upper-limb movements to slice virtual fruit, combining physical engagement with visuomotor coordination and sustained attentional demands. (iii) Cool-down (2 min): the same relaxation and stretching exercises used in OPAB. Although duration, game, setting, and instructions were standardized, physiological intensity was not objectively monitored and may have varied across individuals. Session duration, sequencing, supervision, and timing of cognitive testing were kept constant across all conditions.

Exergame-based Physical Activity Break (PABEx)

Outdoor Physical Activity Break OTHER

The OPAB condition consisted of a standardized 10-minute outdoor protocol structured into three phases: (i) Warm-up (2 min): low-intensity dynamic movements targeting major joints (ankles, knees, hips, and shoulders) combined with light marching in place. (ii) Walking phase (6 min): participants walked along a predefined outdoor route at approximately 4.5 km·h-¹, providing a light-to-moderate aerobic stimulus; exercise intensity was not objectively monitored. (iii) Cool-down (2 min): relaxation and gentle stretching exercises targeting lower-limb muscle groups and breathing regulation.

Outdoor Physical Activity Break (OPAB),

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• enrolled full-time
• years old at the time of data collection
• physically able to stand and perform brief bouts of physical activity safely

You may not qualify if:

• musculoskeletal disorders
• current or recent lower-limb injuries
• acute or chronic medical conditions that could limit safe participation in light-to-moderate physical activity
• unable to comply with the study protocol

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Bari Aldo Moro: lead

Study Sites (1)

Università degli studi di Bari "Aldo Moro"

Bari, Bari, 70123, Italy

Location

Study Officials

• Luca Poli, P.hd.

  University of Bari Aldo Moro

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: TRIPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: P.hd.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 28, 2026
• First Posted: June 3, 2026
• Study Start: March 10, 2025
• Primary Completion: April 22, 2025
• Study Completion: April 30, 2025
• Last Updated: June 5, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

IT (1)