Moving Minds Study

Study Overview

The Moving Minds study is examining how body composition, diet, and exercise affects brain function in 9-10 year olds. There are up to 3 visits.

Study Eligibility

Right-handed, healthy, 9-10 year olds, most weight status

Study Requirements

At the first visit we will ask your child to come after fasting for 2 hours (nothing to eat or drink during that time besides water). The first visit will be broken up into two parts. In the first part, we determine
your child’s eligibility for the rest of the study by asking medical history questions and measuring your child’s height, weight, vision, and hand preference. We will also do a body composition measurement using the BodPod. We will ask your child to answer questions and perform tasks. If your child continues to qualify, we will start the second part of the first visit, in which the parents will have a few questionnaires to complete regarding the child’s eating habits, sleep, and experiences, and we will ask your child to answer academic questions. Your child will be randomized into one of two groups. Randomized means your child is put into a group by chance, like flipping a coin. Group 1 is the Exercise Group, and Group 2 is the Stretching Group. This visit can take up to 4 hours. Compensation for the first part is 25$, and compensation for the second part is $50. We will also ask your child to wear a device that measures their physical activity and sleep on their waist for about a week after the first visit, as well as fill out a diary answering questions about their sleep. Compensation after completion and return of the device is an additional $25.

At your second and third visits if your child is in Group 1, we would perform a fitness test on a treadmill. If your child is in Group 2, we would guide them through stretching exercises. Following the exercise or stretching, we would provide a snack and a break, during which you and your child will complete questionnaires regarding their development and physical activity. Then we will take them to our Brain Lab. In the Brain Lab, your child wears a cap that looks like a hair net with a lot of small sponges attached. This allows us to record their brain waves while they answer questions.

For the third and final visit, your child will complete whichever exercise (fitness test or stretching) he/she did not complete at the second visit. Visit 2 and 3 last up to 2.5 hours, and compensation for completing these visits is $100 each.

We would ask that these three visits be completed in about a three month time period.