Influence of a 2‐ to 6‐year physical education intervention on scholastic performance: The CHAMPS study‐DK
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The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of a school‐based intervention with a tripling of physical education (PE) lessons from two (90 minutes) to six lessons per week (270 minutes) on scholastic performance. This study is part of the CHAMPS study‐DK, a quasi‐experimental study that began in 2008. The intervention group consisted of six schools, and the control group consisted of four matched schools (mean age at baseline=8.4 years, kindergarten class fourth grade). Academic performance was extracted from the national test system from 2010 to 2014 (Math and Danish were measured at third and sixth, and second, fourth and sixth grades, respectively). Participants included 1888 students participating in at least one scholastic performance test. Linear mixed models were applied to test for differences between groups and adjusted for known confounders. No significant differences were observed between groups in the academic performance tests (control group reference); Danish second grade β=−1.34 (95% CI −9.90, 7.22), fourth grade β=0.22 (95% CI −6.12, 6.56), sixth grade β=1.03 (95% CI −5.02, 7.08), and all grades combined β=0.28 (95% CI −5.74, 6.31) and Math third grade β=−2.87 (95% CI −9.65, 3.90), sixth grade β=0.99 (95% CI −7.36, 9.34) and combined β=−1.20 (95% CI −8.10, 5.71). In conclusion, no significant differences were observed between intervention and control schools for scholastic performance. Importantly, there were no negative effects of additional PE on scholastic outcomes, despite more PE and longer school days for intervention children.
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Of the eight studies that analysed effects on academic performance, four used grades in academic subjects, three used standardised test results, one measured mastery of the basic facts test, and one analysed mathematics and reading performance with the speed test arithmetic and the 1 min test.
“Of the eight studies that analysed the effects on academic performance, four used grades in academic subjects [40,48,49,50]; meanwhile, three studies utilised standardised test results [43,49,55], one took measurements of the student’s mastery of the basic facts test [47], and one analysed mathematics and reading performance with the speed test arithmetic and the 1 min test [45].”
From The Effects of Physical Activity on Academic Performance in School-Aged Children: A Systematic Review (2023) · cites this paper as [55]
Bugge et al. [55] found no significant (p > 0.5) difference between academic performance of groups receiving PE 6 days per week (4.5 h per week) and 2 days per week (1.5 h).
“The study found no significant (p > 0.5) difference between academic performance of both groups following the intervention.”
From The Effects of Physical Activity on Academic Performance in School-Aged Children: A Systematic Review (2023) · cites this paper as [55]
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- Authors
- Bugge, A., Möller, S., Tarp, J., Hillman, C. H., Lima, R. A., Gejl, A. K., Klakk, H., & Wedderkopp, N.
- Affiliations
- University of Southern Denmark (DK)
- Northeastern University (US)
- Ministry of Education (BR)
- Corresponding author
- Bugge, Anna
- ORCID
- Venue
- Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2017-05-22
- Volume
- 28
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 228-236
- ISSN
- 0905-7188 (ISSN-L)
- 1600-0838
- OpenAlex
- W2609902022
- Cited by
- 25
- References
- 32
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 3
- FWCI
- 6.09
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- University of Southern Denmark Research Portal (University of Southern Denmark) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Funders
- TrygFonden
- Nordea-fonden
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Physical Education and Pedagogy
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Children's Physical and Motor Development
- Keywords
- physical education, school-based intervention, academic performance, mathematics achievement, elementary school students, extended school day
- MeSH terms
- Academic Success, Child, Denmark, Female, Humans, Male, Physical Education and Training, Schools, Students
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