How physical activity, fitness, and motor skills contribute to math performance: Working memory as a mediating factor

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine whether physical activity, fitness, and motor skills have an indirect association with math performance via cognitive outcomes if so, through which aspects cognition? Methods This comprised 311 6th–9th grade adolescents (12–17 years [M age = 14.0 years], 59% girls) from seven schools throughout Finland in 2015. Math measured a teacher-rated achievement the Basic Arithmetic test. Cognitive functions were by broad test battery. Physical activity assessed self-reported questionnaire hip-worn accelerometer. Aerobic fitness estimated using maximal 20-m shuttle run test, muscular curl-up push-up tests, 5-leaps throwing-catching combination Structural equation modeling applied associations. Results In both boys girls, had positive visuospatial working memory. Among positively associated achievement, but path cognition not observed. Self-reported borderline Accelerometer-based did correlate performance. Conclusion Motor associations performance, mediated results give support viewpoints that connections between skills, academic are specific skills.