Six months of different exercise type in sedentary primary schoolchildren: impact on physical fitness and saliva microbiota composition (2024, Mancini)

• • • 22 children (age 8-11 years) identified as sedentary took part in The Daily Mile four times per week, accompanying the curriculum 1 hour of teacher-led physical activity. A control group of 20 children continued to carry out curricular activities supervised by their teacher.
    • After 6 months, the Daily Mile group showed improvements in balance, measured by a single-leg standing test, and endurance, measured by a shuttle-run test. The Daily Mile also led to a healthier saliva microbiome, with increased levels of ‘Gemella sanguinis’, a “good” bacteria supporting children's immune systems.