Physical activity and academic achievement among Norwegian adolescents: Findings from a longitudinal study

Internet use and its association with physical activity among adolescents in Beni Municipality, Myagdi, Nepal

INTRODUCTION

Adolescence is a critical phase marked by distinct health and developmental needs and rights. It represents a pivotal time for the acquisition of knowledge, skills, emotional regulations, and relationship management. However, a recent surge in internet usage among adolescents has been observed, leading to a concerning decline in physical activity. This study aims to evaluate the level of physical activity and its correlation with internet use among adolescents.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study, conducted within educational institutions in Beni, Nepal, utilized a self-structured questionnaire to collect data on physical activity levels and associated factors. The relationship between physical activity and independent variables was assessed through the chi-square test, and regression analysis was employed to quantify the strength of this association.

RESULTS

The study revealed that 75.3% of adolescents (out of 385) exhibited inadequate physical activity levels. Notably, late adolescents were more susceptible to insufficient physical activity than their middle adolescent counterparts were. Adolescents from nuclear families (UOR = 2.689, C.I = 4.074-22.822), those with higher monthly family income (UOR = 3.318, C.I = 1.209-9.105), and individuals using Wi-Fi (UOR = 1.801, C.I = 1.117-2.904) demonstrated a higher likelihood of internet addiction. Moreover, these groups were more prone to engage in inadequate physical activity (UOR = 1.1740, C.I = 0.938-3.226) compared to their counterparts not addicted to the internet.

CONCLUSION

The study concludes that over two-thirds of adolescents were addicted to the Internet, and three-fourths were inadequately physically active, with late adolescents being more affected than middle adolescents. Inadequate physical activity was associated with various factors, including family type, monthly family income, monthly pocket money, father's occupation, type of school, type of internet access, and Internet Addiction Test (IAT) score. Internet-addicted adolescents were found to be more likely to be physically inactive.

Physical Activity and Psychological Wellbeing Among Healthcare Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

INTRODUCTION

Regular physical activity (PA) contributes to physical and mental wellbeing. Due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related lockdowns in 2020, regular PA had been adjusted. Furthermore, students became accustomed to studying at home. Students in the healthcare field, in particular, have a better understanding of the link between PA and mental health. This study aimed to assess the association between psychological wellbeing and PA among healthcare students at one public university in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic period.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study conducted between November 2021 and February 2022. Healthcare students at one public university in Saudi Arabia were invited to participate in an online survey, consisting of three sections. The first section contained questions about demographic data. The second section was the International Physical Activity-Short Form (IPAQ-SF), which is composed of seven questions designed to assess the level of PA. The third part is The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), which is a self-reported questionnaire comprising 20 questions that assessed depressive symptoms on a four-point scale. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal Wallis test were used to analyze the collected data using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 28.0 (Released 2021; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States).

RESULTS

The total responses received were 197 (response rate=60%). The majority of students in this sample were performing inadequate PA and reported depressive symptoms. No association was found between the amount of PA practiced and psychological wellbeing. There was a significant difference between specialties in relation to PA.

CONCLUSION

The majority of students in this sample were performing inadequate PA and reported depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 lockdown. The importance of PA should be promoted among healthcare students.

Sleep Well, Study Well: A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies on the Interplay between Sleep and School Experience in Adolescence

Adolescents spend most of their daily time in school and performing school-related activities. Different aspects of their school experiences, such as school performance, psychological factors related to school, and structural factors, consistently impact adolescents' health and are likely to be intertwined with their sleep (i.e., quantity and quality, sleep disturbances). This systematic review aimed to comprehensively summarize the reciprocal and longitudinal associations between adolescents' sleep and multiple aspects of their school experience. Using multiple search strategies and applying a two-step selection process, 25 journal articles matched the eligibility criteria and were thus included in the review. The results highlighted the contribution of poor sleep quality and sleep disturbances in predicting longitudinal school experiences-related outcomes (i.e., decreasing school engagement and performance, and increasing school-related burnout, absenteeism, and bullying). At the same time, the results showed how experiences related to the school's psychological factors (e.g., high levels of school burnout and stressful environment) and structural characteristics (e.g., early school entrance time) affect youth sleep over time (i.e., decreasing sleep quality and quantity). These main findings provided novel insights into the bidirectional relationship between school experience and sleep health, highlighting the importance of more longitudinal research investigating all aspects of healthy sleep, including the size and direction of the association.

Mediators between physical activity and academic achievement: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Research has suggested the beneficial effects of physical activity (PA) on academic achievement (AA). However, the mechanisms underlying this influence remain unclear. Some proposed mechanisms include physiological, cognitive, psychological, and behavioral paths. This study aimed to analyze mediators between PA and AA in children and adolescents.

METHODS

Systematic search in Medline, SPORTDiscuss, PsycInfo, Scopus, and Web of Science for observational and experimental studies, published up to March 2021.

RESULTS

Twenty-eight studies (75237 participants, aged 4-16) were included. The designs of these studies were: 21 studies cross-sectional, 5 longitudinal, and 2 experimental. Eight out of nine studies analyzing fitness as a mediator reported positive results, and one reported null finding. Adiposity was a significant mediator in one study, in two only in girls, and two reported null results. Cognition as a mediator was supported by four studies, whereas two reported null results. Regarding mental well-being, 10 out of 14 studies reported positive effects, and one out of five behavioral studies found positive results. Although studies were too sparse to draw conclusions, overall, the results indicated that self-esteem, self-image, self-efficacy, stress, and health behaviors might be potential mediators in the relationship between PA and AA. All studies were rated as medium-high quality.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the available evidence seems to suggest that cardiorespiratory fitness, cognition, mental well-being, and exercise-related behaviors play some role as mediators of the relationship between PA and AA. However, the cross-sectional nature of most of the reviewed studies prevents us from making any statement in terms of causal paths. Thus, well-designed follow-up and randomized controlled studies aimed not only to tests the effect of PA in AA, but also to examine the influence of mediators are required.

Objectively measured physical activity and academic performance in school-aged youth: The UP&DOWN longitudinal study

To examine the longitudinal relationships between objectively measured total volume and specific intensities of physical activity (PA) with academic performance in a large sample of youth aged 6-18 years. A longitudinal study of 1046 youth (10.04 ± 3.10 years) from Spain was followed over 2 years. PA (volume and intensity) was measured by accelerometry. Academic performance was assessed through grades reported on the transcript at the end of the academic year (Mathematics, Language, an average of these two core subjects, and grade point average [GPA]). Longitudinal relationships between PA and four indicators of academic performance were examined using covariance and regression analyses, adjusted for a variety of confounders. Youth Quartile 2 for PA volume at baseline obtained better scores than those who participated in Quartiles 1 or 4 volumes of PA in GPA 2 years later (p = 0.006). There were generally no longitudinal associations between specific PA intensities and any of the academic performance indicators (all p > 0.170). However, a change in light PA over 2 years was inversely associated with three academic indicators in youth (β_range , -.103 to - 090; all P < 040). Findings suggest that participants in Quartile 2 volume of PA had a better GPA in comparison with Quartiles 1 and 4 volumes of PA during youth, but there was no association with changes in PA volume over time. PA intensity was generally unrelated to academic performance during youth. However, there was an inverted u-shape relationship between light PA changes and GPA.

Increased Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Higher Efficacy Beliefs Are Associated with Better Academic Achievement: A Longitudinal Study of High School Adolescents in Lebanon

This longitudinal study aims to examine how changes in health behaviors and socio-cognitive factors influence the academic achievement of Lebanese adolescents over a period of 12 months. Adolescents (n = 563) from private and public schools in Mount Lebanon and the Beirut area, aged between 15 and 18, participated in a three-wave longitudinal study and completed a self-administered questionnaire assessing socio-demographics, health behaviors, socio-cognitive factors, parenting styles, and academic achievement. A linear mixed model was carried out to examine if changes in health behaviors and cognitive factors affect changes in academic achievement after 6 and 12 months from the baseline, adjusting for demographic variables and parenting style. Results show that improved adherence to the Mediterranean diet and an increase in self-efficacy were associated with an increase in academic achievement. An increase in adherence to the Mediterranean diet had the same effect on academic achievement 6 and 12 months from the baseline, whereas an increase in efficacy beliefs was only significantly associated with achievement at 12 months from the baseline. This study supports the longitudinal link between diet quality and efficacy beliefs with the academic achievement of adolescents. This relationship is independent of sex, age, religion, parents’ education, and raising styles.

Differences in Fitness and Academic Attainment between Obese, and Non Obese School-Age Adolescent Handball Players: An Explorative, Cross-Sectional Study

This study investigated differences in physical fitness and academic attainment in obese and non-obese adolescent handball players. A total of 31 males (age: 15.5 ± 1.2 years; body mass: 77.8 ± 17.7 kg; height: 1.71 ± 0.10 m; body mass index (BMI): 26.8 ± 6.9 kg/m2; body fat: 26.4 ± 6.34%) from the Qatar handball first division participated and were divided into two body fat percentage (%BF) groups (i.e., obese or non-obese). Anthropometrics (height, mass, BMI, and %BF) and physical performance testing ability (T-half test for change-of-direction (COD); squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), and 10 and 15 m sprints; medicine ball throw (MBT), and aerobic capacity (Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test level 1 (Yo-Yo IR1)) were determined. Academic attainment was determined through grade point averages (GPA). Non-obese participants had superior performances in mathematics (p < 0.001) and science (p = 0.013), agility T-half test (p = 0.001), CMJ (p < 0.001), and 15 m sprint (p = 0.019). Correlations were found between T-half test and mathematics (r = 0.500) and science (r = 0.484). To conclude, obese school-age handball players have poorer fitness and academic performances than normal body weight adolescents.