Physical activity, fitness, weight status, and cognitive performance in adolescents
Abstract
Objective To examine the association of participation in physical sports activity during leisure time, sedentary behaviors, cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, and weight status with cognitive performance in Spanish adolescents.Study design This cross-sectional study comprised a total of 1820 adolescents (958 female) aged 13.0 to 18.5 years. Cognitive performance (verbal, numeric and reasoning abilities, and an overall score) was measured with the "SRA-Test of Educational Ability." Participation in physical sports activity during leisure time (yes/no) and time devoted to study, television viewing, and playing video games were self-reported and categorized as ≤ 3 hours/day and >3 hours/day. We assessed cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness with field-based tests. Adolescents were classified as underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese.Results Participation in physical sports activities during leisure time was associated with better cognitive performance study variables (all P < .001), independent of potential confounders including cardiorespiratory fitness and body mass index. We did not observe an association of time devoted to study, television viewing, or playing video-games with cognitive performance. Likewise, cognitive performance was similar across cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness levels and body weight categories.Conclusion Participation in physical sports activity during leisure time may positively influence cognitive performance in adolescents.
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The practice of physical activity improves academic performance.
“the practice of physical activity improves academic performance [7,8,9].”
From Lifestyle Habits Predict Academic Performance in High School Students: The Adolescent Student Academic Performance Longitudinal Study (ASAP) (2019) · cites this paper as [9]
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- Authors
- Ruiz, J. R., Ortega, F. B., Castillo, R., Martín-Matillas, M., Kwak, L., Vicente-Rodríguez, G., Noriega, J., Tercedor, P., Sjöström, M., & Moreno, L. A.
- Affiliations
- Universidad de Granada (ES)
- Universidad de Málaga (ES)
- Karolinska Institutet (SE)
- Universidad de Zaragoza (ES)
- Corresponding author
- Ruiz, Jonatan R.
- Venue
- The Journal of Pediatrics
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2010-12
- Volume
- 157
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 917-922.e5
- ISSN
- 0022-3476 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2110062789
- Cited by
- 148
- References
- 49
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 18 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 5.41
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Pediatrics (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Social Sciences › Life-span and Life-course Studies › Sports and Physical Education Studies
- Keywords
- physical activity, sports participation, cognitive performance, adolescents, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular fitness, sedentary behavior, television viewing, video game use, study time, body mass index, overweight, obesity, underweight, Spanish adolescents
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Body Weight, Cognition, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Male, Motor Activity, Physical Fitness
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