Physical activity, cognition and academic performance: an analysis of mediating and confounding relationships in primary school children

Abstract

BackgroundExploring the relationship between physical activity, cognition and academic performance in children is an important but developing academic field. One of the key tasks for researchers is explaining how the three factors interact. The aim of this study was to develop and test a conceptual model that explains the associations among physical activity, cognition, academic performance, and potential mediating factors in children.MethodsData were sourced from 601 New Zealand children aged 6–11 years. Weekday home, weekday school, and weekend physical activity was measured by multiple pedometer step readings, cognition by four measures from the CNS Vital Signs assessment, and academic performance from the New Zealand Ministry of Education electronic Assessment Tools for Teaching and Learning (e-asTTle) reading and maths scores. A Structured Equation Modelling approach was used to test two models of variable relationships. The first model analysed the physical activity-academic performance relationship, and the second model added cognition to determine the mediating effect of cognition on the physical activity-academic performance association. Multigroup analysis was used to consider confounding effects of gender, ethnicity and school socioeconomic decile status.ResultsThe initial model identified a significant association between physical activity and academic performance (r = 0.225). This direct association weakened (r = 0.121) when cognition was included in the model, demonstrating a partial mediating effect of cognition. While cognition was strongly associated with academic performance (r = 0.750), physical activity was also associated with cognition (r = 0.138). Subgroups showed similar patterns to the full sample, but the smaller group sizes limited the strength of the conclusions.ConclusionsThis cross-sectional study demonstrates a direct association between physical activity and academic performance. Furthermore, and importantly, this study shows the relationship between physical activity and academic performance is supported by an independent relationship between physical activity and cognition. Larger sample sizes are needed to investigate confounding factors of gender, age, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity. Future longitudinal analyses could investigate whether increases in physical activity can improve both cognition and academic performance.

The Range of the physical Education Importance Perception From the Views of Normal and Gifted Students Views

“…Now That the students who act well in IQ test, we expect that he can learn sports activity efficiently; so, for this awareness it helps to improve the physical performance of the student and acquire basic skills and increase his physical abilities. Category of students who see the sport activity they have a great benefit in the academic and health side, if these sport activities had been practiced regularly This result agree with (McPherson et al,. 2018) study result which indicated that there is a significant relation between physical activity and the academic performance.…”

Sports Activities for Undergraduate Students in Saudi Arabia Universities: A Systematic Literature Review

“…The model tested, identified that PA with cognition has both a direct and indirect relationship on the academic performance of the student. Therefore, further studies that will utilize larger sample sizes are suggested to investigate important confounding factors such as gender, age, and ethnicity (McPherson et al, 2018). This finding supports the need to improve sports activities in Saudi Arabia Universities to align with vision 2030 and help to achieve the goal.…”

“…It was concluded that participants have different reasons for taking part in PA, therefore, their perception to use the playground was given as an idea to improve PA (McWhannell, Triggs and Moss, 2017). Also, (McPherson et al, 2018) supported the claims that PA has a significant effect on the academic performance of students at all levels of education. The study indicated that the relationship occurred from the mediating effect of cognition.…”

The Daily Mile: teachers’ perspectives of the barriers and facilitators to the delivery of a school-based physical activity intervention

“…With academic achievement under constant scrutiny in most countries, it appears that evidence to ascertain whether the Daily Mile promotes cognition and academic achievement could assure primary school teachers that time invested in the Daily Mile would engender additional educational benefits. Current evidence suggests that physical activity can show a positive effect on constructs related to academic achievement 24–26. However, recent studies have also demonstrated that academic achievement is more strongly associated with sedentary time than physical activity 27 28.…”