Benefits of Physical Activity During the School Day to Reduce Mental Fatigue and Optimize Cognitive and Psychosocial Processes in Secondary School Students

The main aim of the MENTALFIT project is to test the effectiveness of physically active teaching methodologies to reduce mental fatigue and optimize cognitive, emotional, and motivational processes in secondary school students. Specifically, the study aims to examine differences depending on the type of physically active strategy implemented (physically active learning, active breaks, and active recesses) on students' mental fatigue, cognitive function, group dynamics, and motivational processes. Furthermore, the project aims to compare whether learning and academic performance are similar in traditional classes versus classes employing a physically active teaching methodology. Finally, a secondary objective of the project is to create and validate new instruments to assess the different psychobiological and educational processes included in this project.

NCT Number	NCT07427329
Lead Sponsor	University of Extremadura Collaborators: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Spain
Conditions	Mental Fatigue, Adolescent Behavior, Physical Inactivity
Enrollment	434 participants
Start Date	2025-09-29
Primary Completion	2026-06-30 (estimated)
Study Completion	2026-06-30 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-02-23