Mostafa Biglari, Alireza Bahrami, Tooraj Sepahvand,
Volume 28, Issue 5 (12-2025)
Abstract
Introduction: The choice between an active and an inactive lifestyle can have significant physical and cognitive consequences, highlighting a need for further research focusing on the cognitive aspects. The present study aimed to compare executive functions among endurance athletes, resistance athletes, non-athletes, and obese individuals.
Methods: The present study was a descriptive study with a causal-comparative design. The statistical population of the research consisted of men between the ages of 20 and 35 years from Famenin city (Hamadan province). A total of 80 participants were selected and divided into four groups (20 subjects each): endurance athletes, resistance athletes, non-athletes, and obese individuals. Executive functions were assessed using the computerized Tower of London and N-back tests, which measure the components of planning, problem-solving, and working memory, respectively. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's post-hoc tests, with the significance level set at P < 0.05.
Results: The results indicated significant differences in executive functions among the groups. In the components of planning, problem-solving, and working memory, the performance of the non-athletes, resistance, and endurance groups was significantly better than the obesity group. Furthermore, the resistance and endurance athletes performed better than the non-athletes group. In addition, the endurance group was better than the resistance group only in the planning and problem-solving component, and no difference was observed between them in working memory.
Conclusions: Weight control and performing endurance and resistance exercises can be useful for people from a cognitive aspect, and perhaps in some cognitive areas, endurance exercise is more beneficial than resistance exercise.
