Physical fitness, cognitive functioning and academic achievement in healthy adolescents

Barbara Franca Haverkamp,Jaap Oosterlaan,Marsh Königs,Esther Hartman

doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.102060

Abstract

PurposeExamine the association between health-related physical fitness (cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular fitness) and skill-related physical fitness (speed-agility) and both cognitive functions and academic achievement in adolescents (12–15 years). MethodsData of 423 Dutch adolescents were analyzed (46.8% boys, age = 13.45 ± 0.43 years). Physical fitness was assessed using five subtests of the Eurofit test battery measuring cardiorespiratory fitness (20 m Shuttle Run Test), muscular fitness (Broad Jump and Sit-Ups) and speed-agility (10 × 5 m Shuttle Run Test and Plate Tapping Test). Cognitive functions were assessed by the Digit Span Task, the Grid Task and an adapted version of the Attention Network Test. Finally, academic achievement was assessed by two standardized tests assessing mathematic skills and language skills. Multilevel regression analyses were performed in MlWin to examine the relations of interest adjusting for sex and age. ResultsMultilevel regression analysis showed that speed-agility was significantly related to visuospatial working memory (β = 0.159; p = 0.014), information processing and control (β = 0.238; p < 0.001) and interference control (β = 0.156; p = 0.039), but not to the other cognitive or academic achievement outcomes. Cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular fitness were not related to any of the cognitive or academic achievement outcomes. ConclusionThe results suggest that skill-related physical fitness is related to cognitive functions and health-related physical fitness is not. Therefore it can be argued that improved levels of skill-related physical fitness may lead to improved cognitive functioning.

Highlights

Physical activity is related to health benefits, including lower risks of cardiovascular disease and diabetes (Janssen & LeBlanc, 2010)
More over, recent evidence indicates that physical fitness, which refers to the ability to engage in physical activity for a protracted period of time (Martínez-Vizcaíno & Sanchez-Lopez, 2008), is associated with better executive functions and academic achievement in adolescents (Chu et al, 2019)
We tested the univariate contribution of cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular fitness and speed-agility to each of the six cognitive functions in model 2. These results showed that speed-agility was significantly related to visuospatial working memory, t = 2.45, p = 0.014, information processing and control, t = 4.25, p=

Summary

Introduction

Physical activity is related to health benefits, including lower risks of cardiovascular disease and diabetes (Janssen & LeBlanc, 2010). More over, recent evidence indicates that physical fitness, which refers to the ability to engage in physical activity for a protracted period of time (Martínez-Vizcaíno & Sanchez-Lopez, 2008), is associated with better executive functions and academic achievement in adolescents (Chu et al, 2019). As physical fitness refers to a wide range of aspects of health- and skill-related aspects (Corbin, et al, 2000), it is unclear which aspects of physical fitness are associated to cognitive functions and academic achievement. Skill-related physical fitness consists of those components of physical fitness that have a relationship with enhanced performance in sports and motor skills, including speed-agility abilities (Corbin et al, 2000). Speed-agility abilities enable one to quickly move the body and change its direction while maintaining control and balance (Ortega et al, 2008)

Objectives

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion