Dose Response Effect Of Physical Activity And Behavioral Regulation Measures On The Science Achievement Of At-risk Middle School Girls

Abstract

PURPOSE: After school programs have played a key role in engaging youth in the learning process by providing opportunities to explore interests, increase health and wellness, set goals, solve problems, and connect with adult role models. The purpose of this study is to measure the effects of an after school program with a fitness and informal health and nutrition science curriculum on cognitive processes and science achievement in previously sedentary middle school girls. METHODS: A between subjects study was designed with n = 29 female adolescents (mean age = 12.03 + .73) engaged in supervised triathlon training, health and nutrition science education in a 20 week intervention. A second group of n = 30 randomly selected females (mean age = 12.93 + .91) served as the comparison group. To assess changes in science achievement, data were collected pre- and post- intervention. Hierarchical regression analyses examined the linear association of physical activity, aerobic fitness level, cognition and science content knowledge controlling for relevant covariates. RESULTS: Science achievement by treatment group was significantly predicted by fitness level F(5,53) = 6.27, p < .001; physical activity F(5,53) = 6.98, p < .001; aspects of cognition including behavioral regulation F(5,50) = 5.88, p < .001; and processing speed F(5,53) = 6.27, p < .001. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention with informal nutritional science learning and a controlled aerobic fitness component suggested improved cognition and science achievement in previously sedentary middle school girls.