Table 1.

Characteristics of studies included in the meta-analysis.

Study	Design	Participants Characteristic			EF Variables	Instrument	Intervention/Duration
		Mean Age (Years)	N	Male/Female			Experimental Group the Form of Interventions	Control Group the Form of Interventions
Nejati et al. [34]	RCT	9.43	26	0/100	Updating Shifting Inhibition	①②③	EXCIR sessions 40–50 min/session, 3 times/wk, 5 weeks e.g., Color Jumping To jump on a color cell in a table of colors given the meaning of some presented color words on the screen.	aerobic exercise sessions 40–50 min/session, 3 times/wk, 5 weeks aerobic exercise program without cognitive load, running.
Meijer et al. (1) [24]	Cluster RCT	9.1	441	230/221	Updating Inhibition	④⑤	cognitively engaging PA 30 min/session, 4 times/wk, 12 weeks team games or exercises that require complex coordination of movements, strategic play, cooperation between children, anticipating the behavior of teammates or opponents, and dealing with changing task demands, such as dodge ball, basketball	aerobic exercise sessions 30 min/session, 4 times/wk, 12 weeks The focus was on highly repetitive and automated exercises, such as circuit training, relay games, playing tag, and individual activities like running or doing squats.
Meijer et al. (2) [24]	Cluster RCT	9.1	650	232/418	Updating Inhibition	④⑤	cognitively engaging PA 30 min/session, 4 times/wk, 12 weeks	regular PE session 30 min/session, 2 times/wk, 12 weeks Children in the control group followed their regular physical education lessons
Schmidt et al. [35]	Cluster RCT	5.34	137	64/73	Updating Inhibition Shifting	①⑥⑦	combined physical and cognitive training 15 min/session, 4 times/wk, 12 weeks The games were conceptualized to require gross motor movements, which in turn should increase PA, e.g., One Lizard, two lizards	regular PE session 15 min/session, 4 times/wk, 12 weeks The control condition consisted of an active waiting-list group
Oppici et al. [36]	RCT	8.8	50	28/32	Updating Inhibition Shifting	⑦⑧⑨	high-cognitive PA 60 min/session, 2 times/wk, 7 weeks The dance lessons took place during the participants’ PE and sport classes	regular PE session 60 min/session, 2 times/wk, 7 weeks
Chien et al. [37]	RCT	12.1	84	52/32	Inhibition	⑩	combined games and object manipulation skills; 3 times/wk, 8 weeks Movement concepts and skills focused on the ability to move in various situations, respond to speed, direction and force of movements, and control body movements while jumping, throwing, catching, dribbling, kicking, or passing.	regular PE session 3 times/wk, 8 weeks session were designed to focus on sport skill development
Egger et al. [21]	Cluster RCT	7.95	96	42/54	Updating Inhibition Shifting	⑨⑪⑫	cognitively engaging PA 10 min/time, 2 times/wk, 20 weeks For example, children were standing in a circle and playing the game “Horserace”.	aerobic exercise sessions 10 min/time, 2 times/wk, 20 weeks This condition was designed to promote children’s aerobic fitness. Although it is not possible to exclude cognitive engagement entirely from long-term PA interventions, the attempt was made to choose exercises that had as little cognitive demand as possible.
Benzing et al. [38]	RCT	10.63	51	42/9	Updating Shifting Inhibition	⑬⑭⑮	“Shape up” game 30 min/session, 3 times/wk, 8 weeks “Beatmaster Training Quest”: It consists of different exercises such as: (A) “Waterfall Jump”: The player stands on the edge of a waterfall and has to jump onto oncoming pieces (footprints) of wood in order not to fall down. While the frequency, size and order of the footprints vary the player has to jump with one or two legs in order to hit the footprints.	Waiting-list control group.
Gao et al. [39]	RCT	4.72	32	16/16	Shifting	⑦	exergaming intervention, The intervention program requested children participate in home-based educational exergaming using the Leap TV gaming console for at least 30 min/session 5 times/week beyond their usual PA.	regular PE session 30 min/session 5 times/wk, 12 weeks The control condition asked children to maintain regular PA patterns without any exergaming gameplay, with parents advised to not change their children’s regular PA routine during their child(ren)’s time in this condition.
Crova et al. [40]	RCT	9.6	70	35/33	Updating Inhibition	⑯	The enhanced PE programme 21 weeks with one curricular PE class per week plus two additional hours of skill-based and tennis-specific training. The curricular programme consisted of only one PE class per week and was focused on the development of fundamental motor skills and coordinative abilities, bodily expression and deliberate play	Traditional PE programme, 21 weeks
Pesce et al. [41]	cluster RCT	N/A	460	232/228	Updating Inhibition	⑯	cognitively engaging PA employed in this intervention had characteristics of deliberate play and deliberate preparation 1 h/week, 6 months	Traditional PE 1 h/week, 6 months
Schmidt et al. (1) [23]	RCT	11.3	126	54/72	Updating Shifting Inhibition	①⑨	Combined high PA and cognitive engagement. This intervention consisted of specifically designed team games (football and basketball) tailored to challenge EFs. 45 min/session, 2 times/wk, 6 weeks	Aerobic Exercise. This condition consisted of different group-oriented and playful forms of aerobic exercises, whose main aim was to promote children’s aerobic fitness. 45 min/session, 2 times/wk, 6 weeks
Schmidt et al. (2) [23]	RCT	11.3	124	54/70	Updating Shifting Inhibition	①⑨	Combined high PA and cognitive engagement. This intervention consisted of specifically designed team games (football and basketball) tailored to challenge EFs. 45 min/session, 2 times/wk, 6 weeks.	combined low PA and cognitive engagement, according to the national curriculum for physical education 45 min/session, 2 times/wk ,6 weeks

Note: ① n-back task; ② WCST, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test; ③ Go/No-Go Task; ④ verbal working memory; ⑤ Motor inhibition efficiency; ⑥ Day-night task; ⑦ DCCS, Dimensional Change Card Sort; ⑧ 2-list; ⑨ Flanker test; ⑩ Stroop test; ⑪ Backwards Colour Recall task; ⑫ “mixed” block within the flanker task; ⑬ modified Simon Task; ⑭ modified Flanker task; ⑮ modified color span backwards task; ⑯ RNG, random number generation task; EXCIR, Exercise for Cognitive Improvement and Rehabilitation.