School-based physical activity interventions and language skills: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Objectives: School-based physical activity (PA) interventions have proven beneficial for improving cognitive per-formance and overall academic achievement, but their benefits on language skills remain unclear. We aimed to assess the effects of school-based PA interventions on language skills in children and adolescents. Design: Systematic review with meta-analysis.Methods: A systematic search was performed in PubMed, PsycINFO and Scopus until September 10th, 2022. We in-cluded randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that performed a school-based PA intervention in children/adolescents and that assessed language-related outcomes (i.e., reading, spelling, vocabulary, verbal fluency, comprehension and grammar) or language school grades. Random effect meta-analyses were conducted to pool study results.Results: Thirty-one studies (18,651 participants) were finally included. Significant benefits were observed for read-ing (standardized mean difference [SMD]: 0.15; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.08, 0.22), vocabulary (SMD: 0.71; 95%CI: 0.44, 0.97), and comprehension (SMD: 0.24; 95%CI: 0.09, 0.40), with a non-significant trend (p = 0.083) also observed for language school grades (SMD: 0.40; 95%CI: -0.05, 0.86). No significant benefits were observed for spelling or verbal fluency (both p > 0.05), and no meta-analysis could be performed for grammar skills. No con-sistent differences were observed between integrated (i.e., performing PA along with the academic content) and non-integrated PA interventions (e.g., extra physical education lessons).Conclusions: School-based PA interventions appear as an effective strategy for improving different language-related skills, although further research is needed to determine how interventions' and participants' characteristics moder-ate these effects.(c) 2022 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Objectives: This systematic review with meta-analysis aimed to assess the effects of school-based physical activity (PA) interventions on language skills in children and adolescents. The results showed significant benefits for reading, vocabulary, and comprehension, with a non-significant trend observed for language school grades. No significant benefits were observed for spelling or verbal fluency, and no consistent differences were observed between integrated and non-integrated PA interventions. Further research is needed to determine the moderating factors of these effects.