Physical fitness and academic performance in middle school students
Abstract
Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine whether physical fitness is linked to academic success in middle school students. Methods: The FITNESSGRAM test battery assessed students (n = 838) in the five components of health‐related fitness. The Illinois Standardized Achievement Test (ISAT) was used to assess academic achievement in reading and math. Results: The largest correlations were seen for aerobic fitness and muscular endurance (ranging from 0.12 to 0.27, all p < 0.05). Boys in the Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ) for aerobic fitness or muscular endurance were 2.5–3 times more likely to pass their math or reading exams. Girls in the HFZ for aerobic fitness were approximately 2–4 times as likely to meet or exceed reading and math test standards. Conclusions: Aerobic capacity and muscular endurance seem to positively affect academic achievement in middle school students.
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Aerobic fitness has been associated with academic performance outcomes.
“For example, aerobic fitness has been associated with academic performance outcomes [70].”
From The Effects of Physical Activity on Academic Performance in School-Aged Children: A Systematic Review (2023) · cites this paper as [70]
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Running increases cell proliferation and neurogenesis in the adult mouse dentate gyrus
van Praag, H., Kempermann, G., & Gage, F. H. (1999) · Nature Neuroscience · doi:10.1038/6368 · Cited by 3,880 · see citing works
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Neuroprotective effects of physical activity on the brain: a closer look at trophic factor signaling
Phillips, C., Baktir, M. A., Srivatsan, M., & Salehi, A. (2014) · Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fncel.2014.00170 · Cited by 330 · see citing works
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“For example, aerobic fitness has been associated with academic performance outcomes [70].”
BackgroundZhang, Y., Niu, L., Zhang, D., Ip, P., Ho, F., Jiang, Y., Sun, W., Zhu, Q., & Jiang, F. (2019) · The Journal of Pediatrics · doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2018.11.045 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Dubuc, M.-M., Aubertin-Leheudre, M., & Karelis, A. D. (2020) · International Journal of Preventive Medicine · doi:10.4103/ijpvm.ijpvm_258_18 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
- Authors
- Bass, R. W., Brown, D. D., Laurson, K. R., & Coleman, M. M.
- Affiliations
- Illinois State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Bass, Ronald W
- Venue
- Acta Paediatrica
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2013-05-13
- Volume
- 102
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 832-837
- ISSN
- 0365-1436 (ISSN-L)
- 0803-5253
- 1651-2227
- OpenAlex
- W2005838289
- Cited by
- 116
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 3
- FWCI
- 6.50
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Acta Paediatrica (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Children's Physical and Motor Development
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Physical Education and Training Studies
- Keywords
- physical fitness, academic performance, junior high school students, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular endurance, health-related physical fitness, FITNESSGRAM, Healthy Fitness Zone, sex differences
- MeSH terms
- Achievement, Adolescent, Cross-Sectional Studies, Curriculum, Educational Measurement, Female, Humans, Male, Mathematics, Physical Endurance, Physical Fitness, Reading, Risk Factors, Schools, Socioeconomic Factors, Students, Body Mass Index, Confidence Intervals, Logistic Models, Odds Ratio, Muscle Strength
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