The Relationship between Physical Activity Levels, Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Academic Achievement School-Age Children from Southern Spain

Manuel Ávila-García,Pablo Tercedor,Emilio Villa-González,Nuria Baena-Ogalla,Francisco Javier Huertas-Delgado

doi:10.3390/su12083459

Abstract

The relationship between physical activity (PA), cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and academic achievement in young people is unclear. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between PA, CRF and academic achievement in 152 children according to sex (average age of 8.6 ± 0.3 years) in southern Spain. A tri-axial accelerometer was used to measure PA; the 20-m Shuttle Run Test was performed to assess the CRF; and to know the academic achievement, the official school records were considered. The results showed a weak correlation between moderate PA and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) with CRF in boys (all, 0.2 > r < 0.4; p < 0.05), whereas the vigorous PA showed a moderate and weak correlation with CRF (all, p < 0.05), in both boys (r = 0.537) and girls (r = 0.382), respectively. In addition, a weak inverse correlation between moderate PA and MVPA with academic achievement showed in girls (all, 0.2 > r < 0.4; p < 0.05). Finally, the CRF weakly correlated with academic achievement only in boys (all, 0.2 > r < 0.4; p < 0.05). Our study showed a relationship between PA and CRF in both sexes. Nonetheless, the PA was inversely related to academic achievement in girls, whereas the CRF was related to academic achievement in boys.

Highlights

There are improvements in health related to daily physical activity (PA), such as a reduction of cardiovascular diseases [1], mental health problems [2] and metabolic factors, such as obesity, hypertension and diabetes [3]
Despite the above-mentioned improvements in health, a recent study carried out by Thivel et al [7] in children aged 9 to years old from countries showed that only 44% of them met the recommendations of 60-min moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) per day proposed by the Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee [8]
Our study showed an inverse relationship between PA and academic achievement only in girls, whereas the cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) was related to academic achievement only in boys

Summary

Introduction

There are improvements in health related to daily physical activity (PA), such as a reduction of cardiovascular diseases [1], mental health problems [2] and metabolic factors, such as obesity, hypertension and diabetes [3]. Despite the above-mentioned improvements in health, a recent study carried out by Thivel et al [7] in children aged 9 to years old from countries showed that only 44% of them met the recommendations of 60-min moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) per day proposed by the Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee [8]. In addition to PA, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is another important factor related to childrens health [10] that determines the aerobic functional capacity to carry out PA or physical exercise [11]. The correlations showed a moderate relationship between both variables [12,13]

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Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion