A study on the correlation between physical fitness index and executive function in Chinese adolescents

Abstract

Objective

To explore the relationship between physical fitness index and executive function in Chinese adolescents, and to provide a reference for improving the development of executive function in Chinese adolescents.

Methods

From September to December 2023, 5336 adolescents aged 13 to 18 years were selected by stratified whole cluster random sampling method in six regions of China for physical fitness and executive function tests. The relationship between adolescent physical fitness index and executive function was analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, and logistic regression.

Results

The correlation coefficients between adolescents’ physical fitness index and inhibitory control reaction time were all 0.00094, p > 0.05; the correlation coefficients between adolescents’ physical fitness index and working memory (1-back, 2-back) reaction time were −0.13 and −0.093, respectively, p < .05; the correlation coefficients between adolescents’ physical fitness index and cognitive flexibility reaction time were −0.17 and −0.18, p < .05. Logistic regression analyses showed that 1-back, 2-back, and cognitive flexibility were significantly and positively correlated with physical fitness index in Models 1, 2, and 3 (all p values less than.01). The coefficients of inhibitory control were not significant in all three models (p > .05), and there was no significant relationship with physical fitness index.

Conclusion

The physical fitness index of Chinese adolescents has a significant positive correlation with working memory and cognitive flexibility, but not with inhibitory control, i.e. the higher the physical fitness index, the better the working memory and cognitive flexibility.

Keywords:

• Adolescents
• China
• Executive Function
• Physical Fitness Index

Acknowledgments

We thank the study participants and school personnel who participated in the data collection and thank our collaborators for their contributions to the study data collection.

Ethics statement

Ethical review and approval were not required for the study on human participants in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements. Written informed consent to participate in this study was provided by the participants’ legal guardian/next of kin.

Author contributions

Jinxian Wang was responsible for the overall framework design, writing organization and main content of the paper. Jian Wu was responsible for proofreading and revising the language, formatting and logic of the paper to ensure smooth writing, correct grammar, and to help improve the overall quality and readability. Yuanyuan Ma was responsible for collecting, analyzing and interpreting data to support the conclusions and ideas of the paper. Yingkun Zhang was responsible for conducting in-depth research and synthesizing the relevant literature in the current field and linking it to the topic of the dissertation to provide sufficient support and basis for the background and related work of the dissertation. Siyuan Guo was responsible for describing the research methodology and experimental design used in the thesis, and explaining its scientific rationality and feasibility. Tianyi Wang was responsible for presenting the data and experimental results clearly in the form of graphs, tables, etc., with appropriate textual descriptions and explanations.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Data availability statement

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the educational science planning subjects of the leading group office of educational science planning of Shanxi province (granted: SJ-22002).