Elsevier

The Journal of Pediatrics

Volume 165, Issue 2, August 2014, Pages 306-312.e2
The Journal of Pediatrics

Original Article
Independent and Combined Influence of the Components of Physical Fitness on Academic Performance in Youth

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.04.044Get rights and content

Objective

To examine the independent and combined associations of the components of physical fitness with academic performance among youths.

Study design

This cross-sectional study included a total of 2038 youths (989 girls) aged 6-18 years. Cardiorespiratory capacity was measured using the 20-m shuttle run test. Motor ability was assessed with the 4 × 10-m shuttle run test of speed of movement, agility, and coordination. A muscular strength z-score was computed based on handgrip strength and standing long jump distance. Academic performance was assessed through school records using 4 indicators: Mathematics, Language, an average of Mathematics and Language, and grade point average score.

Results

Cardiorespiratory capacity and motor ability were independently associated with all academic variables in youth, even after adjustment for fitness and fatness indicators (all P ≤ .001), whereas muscular strength was not associated with academic performance independent of the other 2 physical fitness components. In addition, the combined adverse effects of low cardiorespiratory capacity and motor ability on academic performance were observed across the risk groups (P for trend <.001).

Conclusion

Cardiorespiratory capacity and motor ability, both independently and combined, may have a beneficial influence on academic performance in youth.

Section snippets

Methods

Participants selected for the present study were enrolled in the UP & DOWN Study, a 3-year longitudinal study designed to assess the impact over time of physical activity and sedentary behaviors on health indicators, as well as to identify the psychoenvironmental and genetic determinants of physical activity, in a cohort of Spanish children and adolescents. Youths were recruited from schools in Cadiz and Madrid, Spain. A total of 2225 youths aged 6-18 years participated. After missing data were

Results

Table I presents descriptive characteristics of the study sample. Overall, a higher percentage of boys than girls had mothers who achieved a university educational level (31% vs 25%; P = .001). Fitness levels were significantly higher in boys compared with girls (all P < .001). Boys had a higher WC than girls (P < .001), whereas girls had a higher BF% than boys (P < .001). Girls had higher scores than boys in Language (P < .001), GPA (P < .001), and average of Mathematics and Language (P

Discussion

The main findings of the present study were that cardiorespiratory capacity and motor ability, both independently and combined, were related to academic performance in youths independent of potential confounders, including fatness. In contrast, muscular strength was not associated with academic performance independent of the other 2 physical fitness components. Our findings contribute to the current knowledge by suggesting that the interdependent relationships of cardiorespiratory capacity and

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    The UP & DOWN Study was supported by the National Plan for Research, Development, and Innovation MICINN (DEP 2010-21662-C04-00). The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

    A list of members of the UP & DOWN Study Group is available at www.jpeds.com (Appendix).

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