Effects of Physical Education, Exercise, and Sports Interventions on Children and Adolescent Cognition and Academic Achievement

Dear Colleagues,

The growing body of research linking physical activity to cognitive development and academic achievement has underscored its importance in children's and adolescents' educational and developmental trajectories.

Physical activity, particularly in structured physical education and sports programs, has shown promising results in improving concentration, memory, and executive function, essential for academic performance. These interventions promote holistic development, benefiting both the body and the mind. However, designing and implementing effective, sustainable, and multidisciplinary programs that address cognitive and academic outcomes remains challenging.

This Special Issue aims to provide a collaborative platform for sharing the latest research and evidence from different disciplines to advance our understanding of the relationship between physical activity and cognitive development in youth. We invite authors to submit original research and/or reviews on how well-designed physical education, physical activity, and sports programs can positively impact cognition and academic achievement. Topics may include but are not limited to physical activity's role in improving cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and problem-solving and how educators, parents, and policymakers can support environments that foster physical and cognitive development leading to academic achievement.

By providing valuable insights into best practices, this collection of articles aims to contribute to the growing evidence base and offer new strategies for promoting children and adolescents' cognitive and academic success through physical activity interventions.

Dr. Luis Lopes
Dr. Gabriela Ferreira
Dr. Rute Santos
Dr. Eduarda Sousa-Sá
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sports is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.