Abstract
This study investigated the relationship between different levels of physical fitness and cognitive functions in boys and girls. Schoolchildren from a comprehensive school in Germany (n = 211, 39% girls, 5th and 6th grade) attended regular or sport-focused classes with different numbers of physical education (PE) classes per week (3 vs. 5–6 h). Performance of physical fitness was tested according to endurance, strength, speed, coordination and flexibility. Four computerized instruments (switch task, 2-back task, Corsi block-tapping task and flanker task) were used to test cognitive functions. Additional predictors, sex, age, PE class, Body Mass Index and physical activity, were included in analyses. The results showed that physical fitness was associated with improved attention and memory functions in children, although the associations were mostly small. After Bonferroni correction, mainly coordination was related to improved cognition. Physical activity, i.e., step counts, PE class and sex were associated with specific cognitive outcomes. These findings may be important for effective health promotion, and supporting children’s education in the school environment. Sex-specific physical activities in school could potentially lead to greater cognitive benefits in children. Randomized trials are needed to replicate these results.
Highlights
There is growing interest in fitness-related research on children
It was found that primary schoolchildren with higher fitness skills have an advantage over their peers with lower fitness performance in specific cognitive functions [6,7], which can lead to better academic performance [4,8,9]
This baseline data set represents a subset of the randomized intervention trial CogniDROP (Cognition, Drinking Observation and Physical Activity), which focused on the short-term effects of water intake on specific cognitive functions in schoolchildren and was used for this secondary analysis
Summary
Scientific attention is focused on fitness level, including muscle strength, cardiorespiratory endurance and motor coordination, and on fitness benefits [1,2]. Many studies have suggested that physical fitness in youth and cognitive skills in later life are closely related [3,4,5]. Studies on children have shown that cardiorespiratory fitness is related to inhibition and cognitive flexibility [10], as well as memory ability [11] and selective attention [12]. Results from a Finnish study have demonstrated that a physically active childhood (age 6–12 years) was associated with faster cognitive response in midlife (age 34–39 years) [14]. Physical activity can influence the brain’s structure [11], including neurogenesis [15], and stimulate brain activity [16]
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