Association of Physical Fitness with Intelligence and Academic Achievement in Adolescents
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Participants
2.2. Measurements
2.2.1. Physical Fitness
2.2.2. General Intelligence
2.2.3. Academic Achievement
2.2.4. Statistical Analyses
3. Results
3.1. Descriptive Characteristics
3.2. Relationship between Physical Fitness Components and General Intelligence and Academic Achievement
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Characteristics | Total | Boys | Girls | p * | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N | Mean ± SD | N | Mean ± SD | N | Mean ± SD | ||
Age (years) | 403 | 13.7 ± 1.2 | 216 | 13.7 ± 1.1 | 187 | 13.7 ± 1.2 | 0.822 |
Physical fitness: | |||||||
Cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max **, mL/kg/min) | 389 | 42.2 ± 6.3 | 208 | 44.6 ± 6.2 | 181 | 39.4 ± 5.3 | <0.001 |
Muscular strength (cm) | 396 | 162.3 ± 34.7 | 212 | 176.8 ± 35.0 | 184 | 145.6 ± 25.6 | <0.001 |
Flexibility (cm) | 403 | 2.7 ± 8.1 | 216 | −0.01 ± 7.6 | 187 | 5.8 ± 7.7 | <0.001 |
Overall fitness score (z-score) | 369 | 0.0 ± 1.6 | 198 | 0.0 ± 1.7 | 171 | 0.0 ± 1.5 | 0.812 |
General intelligence: | |||||||
D48 (standard score) | 161 | 23.2 ± 6.4 | 84 | 22.6 ± 5.8 | 77 | 23.8 ± 6.9 | 0.321 |
Raven (direct score) | 160 | 42.5 ± 6.9 | 83 | 41.6 ± 7.1 | 77 | 43.5 ± 6.5 | 0.036 |
Academic Achievement (school grades, 0–10 points): | |||||||
Spanish Language | 403 | 5.8 ± 1.9 | 216 | 5.5 ± 1.8 | 187 | 6.2 ± 1.9 | 0.001 |
Mathematics | 403 | 5.6 ± 2.0 | 216 | 5.5 ± 2.0 | 187 | 5.7 ± 2.0 | 0.218 |
Geography and History | 403 | 6.4 ± 1.8 | 216 | 6.2 ± 1.8 | 187 | 6.6 ± 1.9 | 0.052 |
English | 403 | 6.1 ± 1.8 | 216 | 5.8 ± 1.8 | 187 | 6.3 ± 1.7 | 0.023 |
Physical Education | 403 | 6.4 ± 1.6 | 216 | 6.3 ± 1.6 | 187 | 6.4 ± 1.6 | 0.425 |
Grade point average | 403 | 6.0 ± 1.6 | 216 | 5.8 ± 1.6 | 187 | 6.2 ± 1.6 | 0.012 |
Intelligence and Academic Achievement | Cardiorespiratory Fitness (VO2max Estimated *) | Muscular Strength (Standing Long Jump, cm) | Flexibility (Sit and Reach, cm) | Overall Fitness (z-Score) | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
β | B | 95% CI | p | β | B | 95% CI | p | β | B | 95% CI | p | β | B | 95% CI | p | |
General intelligence: | ||||||||||||||||
D48 (standard score) | 0.184 | 0.199 | 0.035–0.332 | 0.016 | 0.100 | 0.442 | −0.270–1.155 | 0.222 | 0.031 | 0.026 | −0.150–0.213 | 0.734 | 0.122 | 0.032 | −0.014–0.079 | 0.168 |
Raven (direct score) | 0.183 | 0.165 | 0.022–0.307 | 0.024 | −0.110 | −0.121 | −0.283–0.040 | 0.139 | 0.116 | 0.476 | −0.170–1.123 | 0.148 | 0.094 | 0.024 | −0.020–0.067 | 0.282 |
Academic achievement: | ||||||||||||||||
Spanish Language | 0.124 | 0.416 | 0.121–0.712 | 0.006 | 0.049 | 0.902 | −0.557–2.362 | 0.225 | 0.095 | 0.412 | 0.023–0.802 | 0.038 | 0.151 | 0.135 | 0.043–0.227 | 0.004 |
Mathematics | 0.143 | 0.345 | 0.065–0.626 | 0.016 | 0.050 | 0.876 | −0.513–2.264 | 0.216 | 0.159 | 0.652 | 0.289–1.015 | <0.001 | 0.146 | 0.123 | 0.037–0.210 | 0.005 |
Geography and History | 0.165 | 0.567 | 0.269–0.864 | <0.001 | 0.172 | 3.273 | 1.815–4.731 | <0.001 | 0.142 | 0.637 | 0.243–1.031 | 0.002 | 0.258 | 0.235 | 0.145–0.326 | <0.001 |
English | 0.095 | 0.333 | 0.026–0.641 | 0.034 | 0.089 | 1.731 | 0.212–3.249 | 0.026 | 0.115 | 0.531 | 0.124–0.938 | 0.011 | 0.158 | 0.148 | 0.053–0.244 | 0.002 |
Physical Education | 0.320 | 1.225 | 0.91–1.536 | <0.001 | 0.318 | 6.977 | 5.417–8.536 | <0.001 | 0.229 | 1.184 | 0.745–1.624 | <0.001 | 0.461 | 0.485 | 0.390–0.580 | <0.001 |
Grade point average | 0.189 | 0.773 | 0.420–1.127 | <0.001 | 0.155 | 3.546 | 1.782–5.311 | <0.001 | 0.175 | 0.943 | 0.471–1.415 | <0.001 | 0.271 | 0.297 | 0.188–0.405 | <0.001 |
Grade point average (without PE) | 0.142 | 0.551 | 0.212–0.890 | 0.002 | 0.103 | 2.212 | 0.532–3.893 | 0.010 | 0.149 | 0.752 | 0.305–1.199 | 0.001 | 0.211 | 0.205 | 0.107–0.315 | <0.001 |
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Gil-Espinosa, F.J.; Chillón, P.; Fernández-García, J.C.; Cadenas-Sanchez, C. Association of Physical Fitness with Intelligence and Academic Achievement in Adolescents. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 4362. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124362
Gil-Espinosa FJ, Chillón P, Fernández-García JC, Cadenas-Sanchez C. Association of Physical Fitness with Intelligence and Academic Achievement in Adolescents. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17(12):4362. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124362
Chicago/Turabian StyleGil-Espinosa, Francisco Javier, Palma Chillón, José Carlos Fernández-García, and Cristina Cadenas-Sanchez. 2020. "Association of Physical Fitness with Intelligence and Academic Achievement in Adolescents" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 12: 4362. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124362