Vii. The History of Physical Activity and Academic Performance Research: Informing the Future

Abstract

The study of physical activity, physical fitness, and academic performance research are reviewed from a historical perspective, by providing an overview of existing publications focused on children and adolescents. Using rigorous inclusion criteria, the studies were quantified and qualified using both meta-analytic and descriptive evaluations analyses, first by time-period and then as an overall summary, particularly focusing on secular trends and future directions. This review is timely because the body of literature is growing exponentially, resulting in the emergence of new terminology, methodologies, and identification of mediating and moderating factors. Implications and recommendations for future research are summarized.

Physical activity, brain, and cognition

“…Unlike adults, who lead idiosyncratic lives, virtually all children in western culture receive some form of formal education, which provides the opportunity to assess how PA (or other health behaviors) influences performance on scholastic assessments, including standardized academic achievement tests. Although there is a general lack of consensus, the vast majority of findings point to a beneficial relation of PA and aerobic fitness to scholastic performance, with higher marks observed for academic achievement tests and classroom-based assessments [15][16][17]. …”

Systematic review of physical activity and cognitive development in early childhood

“…67 Physical activity is increasingly being recognized as an important determinant of 68 cognitive and neural functioning in middle childhood 7 and adulthood, 8,9 in addition to its various A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t 6 other physiological and psychosocial benefits. [9][10][11] Findings from systematic and meta-analytical 70 reviews indicate that higher amounts of physical activity improve cognitive functioning and 71 academic achievement in school-aged children and youth 7,12,13 and reduce the risk of age-related 72 cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease in adulthood. 9,14-17 However, little is 73 known about the relationship between durations, intensities, frequencies, or patterns of physical 74 activity and cognitive development in early childhood among apparently healthy children (i.e., 75 no diagnosed disease).…”

Classroom-Based Physical Activity: Minimizing Disparities in School-Day Physical Activity Among Elementary School Students

“…2,3 Research has shown that school-based PA interventions are effective for improving health outcomes and also for improving educationally relevant behavioral outcomes such as time on task [4][5][6] and academic achievement. 7,8 To experience optimal health benefits, it is recommended that children aged 6-17 years accrue at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) per day. 9 Several studies have provided evidence that elementary-school-aged children need at least 12,000 steps daily to reach this target.…”