Physical Activity and Lifestyle Habits for Improving Cognition and Mental Health in Schoolchildren

Dear Colleagues,

Physical activity and healthy lifestyle habits are critical determinants of cognitive development and mental health in schoolchildren. Emerging evidence underscores their potential to enhance executive functions, emotional regulation, and resilience while mitigating the adverse effects of bullying and cyberbullying. Schools serve as ideal settings to implement interventions that foster active and healthy behaviors to support academic and psychological well-being.
This Special Issue invites cutting-edge research exploring the relationship between physical activity, lifestyle habits, and their impact on cognition and mental health in educational contexts. Priority will be given to interdisciplinary studies, innovative interventions, and cross-cultural analyses. Contributions are expected to provide robust theoretical insights and practical applications for educators, policymakers, and researchers aiming to optimize children’s mental and cognitive health.

Potential topics: 
Cognitive benefits of structured physical activity programs in schools.
Integration of lifestyle habits (e.g., physical activity, nutrition, and sleep) to support mental health in children.
The role of active breaks in enhancing attention, memory, and classroom engagement.
Physical activity as a preventive strategy for anxiety, depression, and stress in schoolchildren.
Interdisciplinary approaches to integrating physical activity into school curricula.
Impact of cooperative sports and team-based activities on social skills and emotional development.
The role of physical activity in mitigating the effects of bullying and cyberbullying on mental health and cognition.
Cross-cultural comparisons of the effects of active lifestyles on cognition and mental health in youth.
Use of digital tools and technology to track and promote active and healthy habits among schoolchildren.
Physical activity interventions targeting specific cognitive domains, such as executive functions and working memory.
Synergistic effects of physical activity and mindfulness practices on mental health in educational settings.

Empirical research, qualitative, quantitative, or mixed analysis, systematic reviews, meta-analysis, and case studies will be considered. Longitudinal or cross-sectional studies that track any of these variables annually or even compare between countries and/or cultures will also be considered. The presentation of other analyses on related topics is also welcome.

Dr. Sara Suarez-Manzano
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.