Could a 15-minute recess workout sharpen a child's focus in class?
NCT ID NCT07719803
First seen Jul 22, 2026 · Last updated Sep 04, 2026 · Updated 4 times
Summary
This trial investigates whether short bursts of exercise during school recess can improve how well children pay attention in class. About 144 third- and fifth-graders are randomly assigned to high-intensity interval training, moderate-intensity continuous training, or their usual recess activities for six weeks. Their classroom attention is measured before and after using an automated video system that tracks head posture, eye gaze, and facial orientation.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- structured exercise programs (high-intensity interval training and moderate-intensity continuous training) during school recess
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward simple, school-based exercise breaks that help children focus better in class.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial in just two grades at one school. The attention measure is based on video analysis, not direct academic outcomes, so real-world benefits may not follow.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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144 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jul 2026
- Finished
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Sep 2026
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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8 to 12 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Students enrolled in the third or fifth grade at the participating primary school. * Aged 8 to 12 years. * Able to participate in routine physical education classes and school recess activities. * Free from musculoskeletal injury or any medical condition that contraindicated participation in physical exercise. * Written informed consent provided by a parent or legal guardian. * Verbal assent provided by the participating child. * Willing and able to complete the baseline assessment, exercise intervention, and post-intervention assessment. Exclusion Criteria: * Musculoskeletal injury, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, neurological disorder, or other medical condition that made participation in moderate- or high-intensity exercise unsafe. * A diagnosed attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, intellectual disability, or other psychological or developmental condition that could substantially affect participation or assessment of classroom attention-related behavior. * Color blindness or another visual impairment that could interfere with the study assessments. * Participation in a structured high-intensity exercise training program during the 3 months before enrollment. * Regular participation in systematic extracurricular exercise training that could substantially affect the intervention response. * Inability to complete the intervention or study assessments. * Absence from three or more intervention sessions. * Withdrawal of parental or guardian consent or withdrawal of the child's assent.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Shanghai University of Sport
Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 200438, China