Longitudinal Evaluation of Aerobic Fitness and Academic Achievement Among Schoolchildren

The effects of the 'active before school' programme on the academic skills of 8-9-year-old children: a physically and cognitively engaging intervention

Introduction

Literature underscores the significance of exercise and cognitive stimulation for achieving academic success. This study aims to investigate the effects of the technology-based "Active Before the First School Bell" programme, comparing the effects of two school-based interventions (physical activity vs. cognitive engagement) on the academic skills of 8-9-year-old children.

Methods

This encompasses their school skills, visual-motor coordination, levels and attitudes towards physical activity, and fitness. The study involved 88 primary school children (age: 8.3 years, 58.0% girls). To assess the programme's distinct effects children were categorised into three groups. The first group (n = 31) participated in cognitive classes (CEG), the second (n = 27), in physical activity classes (PAEG), and the third (n = 30), was a control one (CG). A 12-week intervention, consisting of three 15-min sessions per week before school, was implemented. Self-report questionnaires gauged levels of physical activity. Academic skills were assessed using a battery of diagnostic methods for school failure in early childhood education. Fitness was measured using selected items from the Eurofit test battery. Pre- and post-test measures were collected and analysed, employing one-way ANOVA on ranks with Dunn's post-hoc tests.

Results

Significant post-test differences between the groups were observed in visual spatial function, with the PAEG outperforming the CG, and in auditory and language functions, where both experimental groups outperformed the CG. Results suggest that before school physical activities may be more effective than cognitive activities in improving the academic skills.

Conclusion

The short-term effects obtained provide insights for implementing before-school programmes for children in the early school years.

Association of Physiological Performance, Physical Fitness, and Academic Achievement in Secondary School Students

This study aimed to compare the physiological performance and physical fitness based on the academic achievement levels of secondary school students and to explore the effect of gender on the relationship between physiological performance, physical fitness, and academic achievement. In this cross-sectional study, 304 children aged 13-14 years were recruited. To assess physical fitness, students performed a 20 m sprint test, a pro-agility test, a one-mile endurance run/walk test, and a countermovement jump test. At the end of the one-mile endurance run/walk test, the estimated VO2peak value of the participants was calculated. The physiological performance of the students was determined by measuring their resting heart rate and blood pressure. Students were grouped into three categories based on their academic achievement levels. The assessment of academic achievement considered their scores from the previous academic year. The scores were divided into three levels: poor (average score of 69 points or less), average (scores ranging from 70 to 84 points), and good (scores of 85 points or higher). The study revealed a notable disparity among students' VO2Max measurements based on their academic achievement (F = 8.938, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.056). However, we observed that the group with poor academic achievement displayed lower diastolic blood pressure values than the groups with average and good performances. Finally, no significant gender differences were evident in the relationship between academic achievement and any of the physical and physiological parameters.

Longitudinal Associations of Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Poverty With Academic Performance Among Youth

BACKGROUND

Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) plays a significant role in health and academic performance in youth. The purpose of this study was to examine the longitudinal relationship between CRF and academic performance from fifth to eighth grade among a large, diverse, and state-wide cohort of students, and to determine the extent to which the relationship between change in CRF and academic performance is moderated by poverty status.

METHODS

CRF and academic performance data were obtained for a retrospective state-wide cohort of 11,013 students with baseline (fifth grade, school year 2015-2016) and follow-up (eighth grade, school year 2018-2019) data. Analysis of covariance was used to examine the association between changes in CRF over a 3-year follow-up period and eighth grade academic performance.

RESULTS

After adjusting for covariates, change in CRF and poverty status were positively and significantly associated with eighth grade academic performance. Poverty status did not significantly moderate the association between changes in CRF and academic performance.

CONCLUSIONS

Schools should prioritize evidence-based policies and programs that optimize students' access to high quantity and quality physical activity throughout the school day. Such efforts can improve and maintain student CRF and thus academic performance outcomes.

Longitudinal Association Between Child Psychological Abuse and Neglect and Academic Achievement in Chinese Primary School Children: A Moderated Mediation Model

To investigate the relationships among child psychological abuse and neglect (CPAN), children’s learning engagement, family socioeconomic status (family SES), and children’s academic achievement, 271 children (M_age = 9.41 ± 0.81 years old) and their parents participated in this study with a longitudinal design. Results revealed that learning engagement at T1 mediated the relationship between CPAN at T1 and academic achievement at T2 when gender, age, grade, and academic achievement at T1 were under control. Family SES at T1 moderated the relationship between children’s learning engagement at T1 and academic achievement at T2. The association between learning engagement and academic achievement was stronger among children from lower family SES. Our findings highlighted the negative impact of CPAN and the critical role of learning engagement in children’s academic achievement, especially for those from low SES families.

The relationship between physical fitness and academic performance among Chinese college students

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to examine the relationship between physical fitness and academic performance, after controlling for potential confounds.

PARTICIPANTS

The sample comprised 2,324 college students representing three Chinese universities.

METHODS

Physical fitness was measured using the Chinese National Student Physical Fitness Standard; academic performance (ie, Grade Point Average) and lifestyle behaviors were assessed using questionnaires. Academic performance and overall physical fitness were used to divide participants into three categories: low, moderate, and high.

RESULTS

Several physical fitness indicators systematically differed across the three academic performance categories. Additionally, overall physical fitness was positively associated with academic performance, even after controlling for the effects of lifestyle behaviors; those who belonged to the high overall physical fitness group had lower odds ratios of low academic performance than those belonging to the low overall physical fitness group.

CONCLUSIONS

Poor academic performance was related to low overall physical fitness . The probability of having poor academic performance was significantly lower among students with high physical fitness than those with low physical fitness.

Differential effects of changes in cardiorespiratory fitness on worst- and best- school subjects

Accumulating evidence shows a beneficial association between physical fitness and school children's academic performance. However, several other studies have failed to demonstrate such an association. We reanalyzed data of a two-year longitudinal study of the association between changes in cardiorespiratory fitness and academic performance of school children by focusing on intra-individual variability in grade points as a possible source of this discrepancy. We analyzed data from 469 junior high school students to examine if improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness had a differential effect on an individual student's worst and best grade points. Results indicated that improvements in physical fitness were associated with an improvement in the worst grade points. On the contrary, we did not observe a similar longitudinal association with the best grade points. These findings suggest that improving cardiorespiratory fitness improves the worst grade points of an individual, selectively. We suggest that intra-individual variability in grade points might moderate the association between physical fitness and academic performance changes.

Effects of a Comprehensive School Health Program on Elementary Student Academic Achievement

BACKGROUND

Improving the academic achievement of youth in the United States is an area of interest and a critical indicator of the future success of the youth. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a comprehensive school physical activity and healthy eating program on 5th-grade students' academic achievement, specifically reading and math.

METHODS

Overall, 628 (intervention: 377, 54% girls; comparison: 251, 49% girls) 5th-grade children participated across the 6 schools in a year-long comprehensive health intervention, completing curriculum-based academic achievement measures at 2 time-points.

RESULTS

Results showed that even after controlling for class clustering, age, sex, race, and T1 reading and math variables, students' T2 reading and math achievement were significantly higher in the intervention group than the comparison group.

CONCLUSIONS

Comprehensive health programming can enhance the health and academic achievement of youth.

Baseline Cognitive Performance Moderates the Effects of Physical Activity on Executive Functions in Children

Findings regarding the effects of regular physical activity on cognition in children have been inconsistent due to a number of demographic factors and experimental considerations. The present study was designed to examine baseline cognitive performance and executive function demands, as possible factors underlying the lack of consensus in the literature, by investigating the moderating role of those factors on the effects of physical activity on cognition. We reanalyzed data from three randomized controlled trials, in which the effects of regular physical activity intervention on cognition were examined using executive function tasks that included at least two task conditions requiring variable executive function demands, with a cumulative total of 292 participants (9–13 years). The results indicate that cognitive improvements resulting from physical activity intervention were greater in children with lower baseline cognitive performance. The main analysis revealed that beneficial effects of physical activity intervention on cognitive performance were generally observed across executive function conditions. However, secondary analyses indicated that these general effects were moderated by baseline performance, with disproportionately greater effects for task conditions with higher executive function demands. These findings suggest that baseline cognitive performance is an individual difference variable that moderates the beneficial effects of physical activity on executive functions.

Physical Activity Opportunities and Academic Outcomes of Fourth Grade Elementary School Students in Georgia

BACKGROUND

Physical activity at schools is an important component in combatting childhood obesity. Studies have shown that physical activity at school is positively associated with academic outcomes. The purpose of this study is to examine associations between opportunity of physical activity time at school and academic outcomes.

METHODS

This statewide, cross-sectional study utilized 2 data sources from the Georgia Department of Education and Georgia Shape in 860 schools. Multivariable linear regression analysis assessed the impact of the amount of physical activity time at school and standardized test scores, controlling for aerobic capacity, BMI, race, gender, school size, geographic category, and SES.

RESULTS

Time of physical activity opportunity at school was not significantly associated with Mathematics or Reading CRCT scores (p = .94, p = .31, respectively). SES had the greatest impact on test scores, where higher SES schools had higher standardized test scores (p < .01 for all tests scores).

CONCLUSION

Time of physical activity opportunities at school was not significantly associated with standardized test scores. SES appears to be the most important factor in academic outcomes. Time spent in PA at school does not negatively affect academic outcomes and should be utilized to prevent/reduce childhood overweight and obesity.

Tracking Changes of Chinese Pre-Service Teachers' Aerobic Fitness, Body Mass Index, and Grade Point Average Over 4-years of College

Although increasing attention has been given to student academic achievement, usually measured by grade point average (GPA), and fitness in children and adolescents, much fewer studies have been conducted in higher education settings, especially in China. This study investigated the longitudinal associations of aerobic fitness (AF), body mass index (BMI), and GPA in Chinese pre-service teachers at a university. A longitudinal research design was employed to track changes in AF, BMI, and GPA, for a total of 1980 students for four years. Multi-level growth models were used to examine the interactive changes of the above three variables. It was found that GPA and BMI increased each year, while AF declined dramatically at the fourth year. The three-way interaction among GPA, gender, and BMI was significant, suggesting females who were overweight/obese had lower GPA. The data from the current study suggested that AF did not impact students' GPA. Class standing (i.e., the fourth year) and gender (i.e., females) need to be taken into consideration when designing interventions to improve student overall fitness and academic performance in Chinese pre-service teacher populations.