Low perceived energy and a decline in cognitive performance throughout the day are common issues, though exercise and food consumption are suggested to improve mood and cognition. The present study compares effects of acute exercise to consuming sugar on mood, energy, and cognitive performance. Subjects underwent blood glucose testing, completed an Abbreviated Profile of Mood States Questionnaire, and Automated Operation Span (OSPAN) and Digit Span tests to measure memory and attention. On two separate days subjects consumed candy or walked on a treadmill for 10 minutes, then measurements were repeated at 30-min, 60-min, and 120-min post. Two-way ANOVA over time revealed significant condition over time effects for the maximum digits on the forward digit span (p=0.034) and number of correct spans in the backward digit span (p=0.023). There were no significant differences for OSPAN performance, mood or perceived energy (p>0.05). This study indicates that though exercise and sugar have limited differences in their effects there is a need for greater research in this area.
","abstract_html":"<p>Low perceived energy and a decline in cognitive performance throughout the day are common issues, though exercise and food consumption are suggested to improve mood and cognition. The present study compares effects of acute exercise to consuming sugar on mood, energy, and cognitive performance. Subjects underwent blood glucose testing, completed an Abbreviated Profile of Mood States Questionnaire, and Automated Operation Span (OSPAN) and Digit Span tests to measure memory and attention. On two separate days subjects consumed candy or walked on a treadmill for 10 minutes, then measurements were repeated at 30-min, 60-min, and 120-min post. Two-way ANOVA over time revealed significant condition over time effects for the maximum digits on the forward digit span (<em>p</em>=0.034) and number of correct spans in the backward digit span (<em>p</em>=0.023). There were no significant differences for OSPAN performance, mood or perceived energy (<em>p</em>>0.05). This study indicates that though exercise and sugar have limited differences in their effects there is a need for greater research in this area. </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Knowles, Erica"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science - Kinesiology","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Kinesiology and Health Science","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Malcom T. Whitehead, Ph.D.","Dustin Joubert, Ph.D.","DawnElla Rust, Ed.D."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2019,"date_issued":"2019-05-02T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2019-05-02T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:30:22Z","subjects":["energy","mood","cognition","sugar","exercise","walking","Exercise Science","Kinesiology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/264","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Malcom T. Whitehead, Ph.D.","Dustin Joubert, Ph.D.","DawnElla Rust, Ed.D."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Knowles, Erica"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2019-06-06T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Kinesiology and Health Science"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science - Kinesiology"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["energy","mood","cognition","sugar","exercise","walking","Exercise Science","Kinesiology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/264"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Low perceived energy and a decline in cognitive performance throughout the day are common issues, though exercise and food consumption are suggested to improve mood and cognition. The present study compares effects of acute exercise to consuming sugar on mood, energy, and cognitive performance. Subjects underwent blood glucose testing, completed an Abbreviated Profile of Mood States Questionnaire, and Automated Operation Span (OSPAN) and Digit Span tests to measure memory and attention. On two separate days subjects consumed candy or walked on a treadmill for 10 minutes, then measurements were repeated at 30-min, 60-min, and 120-min post. Two-way ANOVA over time revealed significant condition over time effects for the maximum digits on the forward digit span (p=0.034) and number of correct spans in the backward digit span (p=0.023). There were no significant differences for OSPAN performance, mood or perceived energy (p>0.05). This study indicates that though exercise and sugar have limited differences in their effects there is a need for greater research in this area.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Comparison of an Acute Bout of Exercise to a Sugary Snack on Energy, Mood and Cognitive Performance"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Malcom T. Whitehead, Ph.D.","Dustin Joubert, Ph.D.","DawnElla Rust, Ed.D."],"dc:creator":["Knowles, Erica"],"dc:date.available":["2019-06-06T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Low perceived energy and a decline in cognitive performance throughout the day are common issues, though exercise and food consumption are suggested to improve mood and cognition. The present study compares effects of acute exercise to consuming sugar on mood, energy, and cognitive performance. Subjects underwent blood glucose testing, completed an Abbreviated Profile of Mood States Questionnaire, and Automated Operation Span (OSPAN) and Digit Span tests to measure memory and attention. On two separate days subjects consumed candy or walked on a treadmill for 10 minutes, then measurements were repeated at 30-min, 60-min, and 120-min post. Two-way ANOVA over time revealed significant condition over time effects for the maximum digits on the forward digit span (p=0.034) and number of correct spans in the backward digit span (p=0.023). There were no significant differences for OSPAN performance, mood or perceived energy (p>0.05). This study indicates that though exercise and sugar have limited differences in their effects there is a need for greater research in this area.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/264"],"dc:subject":["energy","mood","cognition","sugar","exercise","walking","Exercise Science","Kinesiology"],"dc:title":["Comparison of an Acute Bout of Exercise to a Sugary Snack on Energy, Mood and Cognitive Performance"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Kinesiology and Health Science"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science - Kinesiology"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:30:22Z"}