Effects of the 11 for Health program on physical performance and executive functions in schoolchildren

This study examined the effects of the school-based “11 for Health” physical activity program on the physical performance and executive functions (EFs) of Turkish children aged 10–11 years, comparing it with the standard physical education curriculum. Fifty-six fifth-grade students were assigned to either a program group that participated in the intervention or a control group that participated in standard physical education classes. The 11-week intervention included two 45-minute football-based sessions per week and integrated health education sessions. Assessments included static, proprioceptive, and dynamic balance, countermovement jump (CMJ), agility, and EFs tests (Go/No-Go, Tower of Hanoi, Corsi Block Test). After adjusting for baseline values, the program group showed statistically greater improvements than the control group in the physical performance measures and in the EFs components assessed (p < .001; ηp2 = 0.31–0.79). These findings indicate that participation in the “11 for Health” program may be associated with short-term gains in selected physical and cognitive measures among preadolescent children. However, given the quasi-experimental design and unmeasured contextual factors, the results should be interpreted as being preliminary. This study provides initial evidence supporting the feasibility and potential value of integrating football-based health-oriented activities into school settings in Türkiye. Trial registration: NCT06939881. Retrospectively registered on 23/04/2025.