This master's thesis examines the relationship between three components of 24-hour movement behaviour (physical activity, sleep, and sedentary behaviour) and attention in fifth-grade primary school students. The research focuses on the increasingly common challenges of insufficient physical activity and unhealthy lifestyle habits among children, such as reduced concentration, inadequate sleep, and excessive sitting.
The study included 253 children from six primary schools in central Slovenia. Using Fitbit smart wristbands, we monitored their movement, sedentary time, and sleep over a period of seven days, while attention was assessed using the d2 Test of Attention. The main objective was to determine
whether there is a relationship between individual components of 24-hour movement behaviour and the concentration measure (CM), and whether differences exist based on compliance with the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.
The results showed no statistically significant associations between the amount of physical activity, sleep duration, and sedentary time with the concentration measure. Likewise, there were no significant differences in d2 test results between the groups that met the WHO guidelines and those that did not. Gender also did not appear to be a relevant factor in the relationship between physical activity and attention.
The findings suggest that individual components of 24-hour movement behaviour do not directly affect children’s attention, highlighting the need for further research with a greater focus on the type of physical activity, sleep quality, and the variety of sedentary behaviours.
|
