Metacognitive function in young adults is impacted by physical activity, diet, and sleep patterns.

Our cognitive capacities like working memory and attention are known to systematically vary over time with our physical activity levels, dietary choices, and sleep patterns. However, whether our metacognitive capacities--such as our strategic use and optimization of cognitive resources--show a simil...

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Main Authors: G Kyle Gooderham, Todd C Handy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317253
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author G Kyle Gooderham
Todd C Handy
author_facet G Kyle Gooderham
Todd C Handy
author_sort G Kyle Gooderham
collection DOAJ
description Our cognitive capacities like working memory and attention are known to systematically vary over time with our physical activity levels, dietary choices, and sleep patterns. However, whether our metacognitive capacities--such as our strategic use and optimization of cognitive resources--show a similar relationship with these key lifestyle factors remains unknown. Here we addressed this question in healthy young adults by examining if physical activity, diet, and sleep patterns were predictive of self-reported metacognitive status. Participants completed a set of validated surveys assessing these lifestyle factors over the past week to month, as well as three measures of metacognition. Using multiple regression and exploratory factor analyses we identified four clusters of metacognitive processes that are sensitive to lifestyle behaviours. Specifically, knowledge of and offline regulation of cognition is linked with physical activity, on-line cognitive regulation is related to diet, and metacognitive worry is associated with sleep behaviours. These findings suggest that lifestyle behaviours do not just affect objective cognitive functioning, but also the meta-level processes we use to monitor our cognitive performance and exert strategic control over our cognitive resources.
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spelling doaj-art-e36fc82544724a6697adc438bd3eac322025-01-17T05:31:27ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01201e031725310.1371/journal.pone.0317253Metacognitive function in young adults is impacted by physical activity, diet, and sleep patterns.G Kyle GooderhamTodd C HandyOur cognitive capacities like working memory and attention are known to systematically vary over time with our physical activity levels, dietary choices, and sleep patterns. However, whether our metacognitive capacities--such as our strategic use and optimization of cognitive resources--show a similar relationship with these key lifestyle factors remains unknown. Here we addressed this question in healthy young adults by examining if physical activity, diet, and sleep patterns were predictive of self-reported metacognitive status. Participants completed a set of validated surveys assessing these lifestyle factors over the past week to month, as well as three measures of metacognition. Using multiple regression and exploratory factor analyses we identified four clusters of metacognitive processes that are sensitive to lifestyle behaviours. Specifically, knowledge of and offline regulation of cognition is linked with physical activity, on-line cognitive regulation is related to diet, and metacognitive worry is associated with sleep behaviours. These findings suggest that lifestyle behaviours do not just affect objective cognitive functioning, but also the meta-level processes we use to monitor our cognitive performance and exert strategic control over our cognitive resources.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317253
spellingShingle G Kyle Gooderham
Todd C Handy
Metacognitive function in young adults is impacted by physical activity, diet, and sleep patterns.
PLoS ONE
title Metacognitive function in young adults is impacted by physical activity, diet, and sleep patterns.
title_full Metacognitive function in young adults is impacted by physical activity, diet, and sleep patterns.
title_fullStr Metacognitive function in young adults is impacted by physical activity, diet, and sleep patterns.
title_full_unstemmed Metacognitive function in young adults is impacted by physical activity, diet, and sleep patterns.
title_short Metacognitive function in young adults is impacted by physical activity, diet, and sleep patterns.
title_sort metacognitive function in young adults is impacted by physical activity diet and sleep patterns
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317253
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AT toddchandy metacognitivefunctioninyoungadultsisimpactedbyphysicalactivitydietandsleeppatterns