Breakfast and Exercise Improve Academic and Cognitive Performance in Adolescents

• Main Authors: Masato Kawabata, Kerry Lee, Hui Cheng Choo, Stephen F. Burns
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-04-01
• Series: Nutrients
• Subjects: cognition; breakfast; glycemic index; physical activity
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/4/1278

This study examined the combined effects of breakfast and exercise on short-term academic and cognitive performance in adolescents. Eighty-two adolescents (64 female), aged 14–19 years, were randomized to four groups over a 4-hour morning: (i) a group who fasted and were sedentary (F-S); (ii) a group who ate breakfast but were sedentary (B-S); (iii) a group who fasted but completed a 30-minute exercise bout (F-E); and (iv) a group who ate breakfast and completed a 30-minute exercise bout (B-E). Individuals completed academic and cognitive tests over the morning. Adolescents in B-E significantly improved their mathematics score (B-E: 15.2% improvement on correct answers, vs. F-S: 6.7% improvement on correct answers; <i>p</i> = 0.014) and computation time for correct answers (B-E: 16.7% improvement, vs. F-S: 7.4% improvement; <i>p</i> = 0.004) over the morning compared with the F-S group. The B-E group had faster reaction times for congruent, incongruent and control trials of the Stroop Color-Word Task compared with F-S mid-morning (all <i>p</i> < 0.05). Morning breakfast and exercise combine to improve short-term mathematical task performance and speed in adolescents.