RT journal article
T1 Longitudinal associations of physical fitness and body mass index with academic performance
A1 García-Hermoso, Antonio
A1 Martínez-Gómez, David
A1 Fernández Santos, Jorge del Rosario
A1 Ortega, Francisco B.
A1 Castro Piñero, José
A1 Hillman, Charles H.
A1 Veiga, Oscar
A1 Esteban-Cornejo, Irene
A2 Didáctica de la Educación FísicaPlástica y Musical
K1 obesity
K1 fitness
K1 cognition
K1 academic achievement
AB No studies have analyzed the longitudinal associations of change in physical fitness components and obesity with academic performance. The aim of the study was to examine longitudinal associations of changes in physical fitness components and body mass index with academic performance among youth, and whether the physical fitness components are moderators of the longitudinal association between obesity and academic performance in youth. Longitudinal analyses (2 years) included 1802 youths. Physical fitness components were assessed following the ALPHA health- related fitness test battery. Academic performance was assessed via school records. Youth in the persistently high cardiorespiratory fitness and motor ability categories (ie, fit at baseline and at 2-year follow-up) had higher academic performance at follow-up than those in the persistently low category. Further, youth with normal weight at baseline and overweight/obesity at follow-up had lower academic perfor- mance scores at follow-up compared to those with normal weight. Also, cardiores- piratory fitness may ameliorate the negative influence of excess body mass index on academic performance at follow-up. Promoting physical activity programs at school that include both aerobic exercise and motor tasks to improve physical fitness and reduce body mass index may not only improve physical health, but also contribute toward successful academic development.
PB Wiley
SN 1600-0838
YR 2021
FD 2021
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/30978
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/30978
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 21-sep-2026