Physical Fitness Predicts Subsequent Improvement in Academic Achievement: Differential Patterns Depending on Pupils’ Age

Gouveia, Élvio Rúbio; Gouveia, Bruna Raquel; Marques, Adilson; Lopes, Helder; Rodrigues, Ana; Peralta, Miguel; Kliegel, Matthias; Ihle, Andreas

doi:10.3390/su12218874

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Physical Fitness Predicts Subsequent Improvement in Academic Achievement: Differential Patterns Depending on Pupils’ Age

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Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Madeira, 9000 Funchal, Portugal

LARSYS, Interactive Technologies Institute, 9000 Funchal, Portugal

Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, 1201 Geneva, Switzerland

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Saint Joseph of Cluny Higher School of Nursing, 9000 Funchal, Portugal

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Health Administration Institute, Secretary of Health of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, 9000 Funchal, Portugal

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CIPER, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, 1000 Lisbon, Portugal

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ISAMB, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1000 Lisbon, Portugal

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Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research LIVES—Overcoming Vulnerability: Life Course Perspectives, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland

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Department of Psychology, University of Geneva, 1201 Geneva, Switzerland

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Sustainability 2020, 12(21), 8874; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12218874

Received: 27 September 2020 / Revised: 15 October 2020 / Accepted: 23 October 2020 / Published: 26 October 2020

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity and Sustainable Health)

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Abstract

We investigated the longitudinal relationship between physical fitness (flexibility, functional strength, and running speed-agility components) and subsequent change in academic achievement across one school year. We also examined whether this longitudinal relationship differed as a function of pupils’ age, controlling for sex, body mass index, and socioeconomic status. Academic achievement in terms of marks in Portuguese and mathematics was recorded from 142 pupils (M = 14.59 years; SD = 1.99, range 11–18), between autumn 2017 and summer 2018. The physical fitness components, including flexibility, functional strength, and running speed-agility, were assessed at the baseline (i.e., at the beginning of the school year). Latent change score modelling revealed that higher physical fitness level at baseline significantly predicted a subsequent improvement in academic achievement across the school year. This longitudinal relationship was significantly stronger in younger compared to older pupils. Physical fitness and its interaction with age predicted 45.7% of the variance in the change in academic achievement. In conclusion, a better physical fitness profile including flexibility, functional strength, and running speed-agility explains a subsequent improvement in academic achievement. This longitudinal relationship seems to be age-dependent. View Full-Text

Keywords: physical conditioning; academic success; youth; physical education

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Gouveia, É.R.; Gouveia, B.R.; Marques, A.; Lopes, H.; Rodrigues, A.; Peralta, M.; Kliegel, M.; Ihle, A. Physical Fitness Predicts Subsequent Improvement in Academic Achievement: Differential Patterns Depending on Pupils’ Age. Sustainability 2020, 12, 8874. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12218874

AMA Style

Gouveia ÉR, Gouveia BR, Marques A, Lopes H, Rodrigues A, Peralta M, Kliegel M, Ihle A. Physical Fitness Predicts Subsequent Improvement in Academic Achievement: Differential Patterns Depending on Pupils’ Age. Sustainability. 2020; 12(21):8874. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12218874

Chicago/Turabian Style

Gouveia, Élvio R., Bruna R. Gouveia, Adilson Marques, Helder Lopes, Ana Rodrigues, Miguel Peralta, Matthias Kliegel, and Andreas Ihle. 2020. "Physical Fitness Predicts Subsequent Improvement in Academic Achievement: Differential Patterns Depending on Pupils’ Age" Sustainability 12, no. 21: 8874. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12218874

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Physical Fitness Predicts Subsequent Improvement in Academic Achievement: Differential Patterns Depending on Pupils’ Age

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