1. Fitness, physical activity and academic achievement in overweight/obese children.
- Author
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Cadenas-Sanchez, Cristina, Migueles, Jairo H., Esteban-Cornejo, Irene, Mora-Gonzalez, Jose, Henriksson, Pontus, Rodriguez-Ayllon, María, Molina-García, Pablo, Löf, Marie, Labayen, Idoia, Hillman, Charles H., Catena, Andrés, and Ortega, Francisco B.
- Subjects
ACADEMIC achievement ,EXERCISE tests ,LANGUAGE & languages ,MATHEMATICS ,MOTOR ability ,MUSCLE strength ,CHILDHOOD obesity ,PHYSICAL fitness ,PROBABILITY theory ,BODY mass index ,ACCELEROMETRY ,PHYSICAL activity ,DESCRIPTIVE statistics ,CARDIOPULMONARY fitness - Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine the associations of fitness and physical activity with academic achievement in children with overweight/obesity. A total of 106 (10.0 ± 1.1y, 61 boys) children participated. The fitness components were assessed by field and laboratory-based tests. Physical activity was measured via accelerometry. The academic achievement was assessed by a standardised test and school-grades. Field-based cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with language skills (ß-standardised- ranging from 0.281 to 0.365, p < 0.01). The field-based muscular strength was associated with grade point average, natural and social sciences, and foreign language (ß = 0.280–0.326, all p ≤ 0.01). Speed-agility was associated with some language-related skills (ß = 0.325–0.393, all p ≤ 0.01). The laboratory-based muscular strength also showed an association with mathematics skills (ß = 0.251–0.306, all p ≤ 0.01). Physical activity did not show significant association with academic achievement (p > 0.01). Overall, the significant associations observed for muscular strength and speed/agility were attenuated and disappeared in many cases after additional adjustments for body mass index and cardiorespiratory fitness, indicating that these associations are inter-dependent. Our study contributes by indicating that other fitness components apart from cardiorespiratory fitness, such as muscular strength and speed-agility, are positively associated with academic achievement. However, these associations appear to be dependent on body mass index and cardiorespiratory fitness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
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