Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, Physical Performance, Adiposity, and Academic Achievement in Primary-School Children

Physically active lifestyles have become increasingly rare in developed countries, while endurance and neuromuscular performance have declined and the prevalence of overweight among children and youth has increased in recent decades. Sedentary lifestyles may not only be associated with increased cardiometabolic risk but also less optimal circumstances for cognitive development and academic achievement, though the evidence is still limited. This thesis investigated the associations of physical activity, sedentary behavior, cardiorespiratory fitness, and motor performance with reading and arithmetic skills in children. The associations of adiposity with cardiorespiratory fitness and neuromuscular performance were also studied. This thesis is based on the data from the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children (PANIC) Study and the First Steps Study and a review of earlier studies on the associations of cardiorespiratory fitness and motor performance with cognition and academic achievement. The PANIC Study is an ongoing exercise and diet intervention study in a population sample of children (N = 512 at baseline). The First Step Study was a longitudinal study following up the learning paths and motivation of a large sample of children (N = 2000) during their early school years (2006–2011). Physical activity, sedentary behavior, cardiorespiratory fitness, neuromuscular performance including motor performance and adiposity, were assessed in the PANIC Study in Grade 1 when the children were 6–8-years of age. Reading and arithmetic skills were assessed in the First Steps Study in Grades 1–3. Altogether 207 children participated in both studies. There were 167 to 186 participants in the original investigations of Study II and III. The study investigating the associations of adiposity with cardiorespiratory fitness and neuromuscular performance included 403 participants (Study IV). Poorer motor performance was associated with both poorer academic achievement and the prerequisites of learning such as working memory and executive control. Engaging in physical activities during recess and in sports was related to better academic achievement in children. Higher physical activity level, reading and writing for leisure, and computer use and videogame playing were associated with better academic achievement in boys but these associations were partly explained by motor performance, cardiorespiratory fitness and adiposity. In girls, physical activity was inversely associated with reading and arithmetic skills but these associations were attenuated after adjustment for adiposity. Higher adiposity was related to a lower neuromuscular performance in both boys and girls and cardiorespiratory fitness as expressed as maximal workload adjusted for lean body mass in boys. The results of this thesis suggest that poor motor performance and lack of physical activity worsen academic achievement, and that increased adiposity decrease physical performance. National Library of Medicine Classification: QT 260, QT 256, QT 250, WD 210, WS 105.5.M5 Medical Subject Headings: Exercise; Leisure Activities; Motor Activity; Physical Fitness; Sports; Educational