Fitness and executive function as mediators between physical activity and academic achievement

ABSTRACT

Physical activity is related with academic achievement in children. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess whether cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and executive function act as mediators of the association between moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and academic achievement. This study included 186 schoolchildren (9-11 years) from Cuenca, Spain. Sociodemographic variables, anthropometric variables, academic achievement, executive function (inhibition, cognitive flexibility and working memory), CRF (20-m shuttle run) and physical activity (by accelerometry) were measured. Serial mediation models were estimated using the Hayes´ PROCESS macro. The significant paths in the model mediating this relationship between MVPA and academic achievement were as follows: MVPA → CRF → academic achievement (IE = 0.068, 95% CI: [0.018; 0.127]; IE = 0.079, 95% CI: [0.029; 0.144]; and IE = 0.090, 95% CI: [0.032; 0.165], controlling for inhibition, cognitive flexibility and working memory, respectively), MVPA → CRF → inhibition → academic achievement (0.018, 95% CI: [0.001; 0.047]) and MVPA → cognitive flexibility → academic achievement (0.087, 95% CI: [0.012; 0.169]). The relationship between MVPA and academic achievement may not be direct but mediated by CRF, cognitive flexibility, and inhibition via CRF. Physical activity interventions to improve AA should be focused on improvements in CRF and executive function.

KEYWORDS:

• Physical activity
• academic achievement
• mediators
• executive function
• cardiorespiratory fitness

Acknowledgments

We thank the schoolchildren, teachers, schools and families for their collaboration and participation in the study.

Author contributions

Ms. Visier-Alfonso wrote the manuscript. Ms. Sánchez-López and Mr. Martínez-Vizcaíno drafted the initial manuscript and reviewed and revised the manuscript. Ms. Álvarez-Bueno conceptualized and designed the study, coordinated and supervised data collection, and critically reviewed the manuscripts for important intellectual content. Ms. Nieto-López and Mr. Martínez-Hortelano participated in data acquisition and data collection, interpretation of data; revised critically the manuscript and reviewed the final version. All authors approved the final manuscript as submitted and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Availability of data and material

Deidentified individual participant data (including data dictionaries) will be made available, in addition to study protocols, the statistical analysis plan, and the informed consent form. Datasets are available at: Visier-Alfonso, María Eugenia (2020), “Physical activity and academic achievment”, Mendeley Data, V1, doi: 10.17632/3xw54kz8bv.1.

Ethics approval

MOVI-daFit! was approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of the Virgen de la Luz Hospital in Cuenca (REG: 2016/PI021) and by the Board of Governors of each school. The study was performed in accordance with the ethical standards as laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki. Parents were invited to an informative meeting and provided written consent; they were encouraged to take children´s opinions in this decision. Parents and children were informed that they could revoke the participation agreement at any time. Children were verbally asked to provide consent prior to the completion of each test.

Disclosure statement

The authors have indicated they have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness-Carlos III Health Institute and FEDER funds (FIS PI19/01919). Additional funding was obtained from the Research Network on Preventative Activities and Health Promotion (RD12/0005/0009).