Physical activity and performance at school A systematic review of the literature including a methodological quality assessment

A.S. Singh, L. Uijtdewilligen, J.W. Twisk, W. van Mechelen, M.J.M. Chin A Paw

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Objective: To describe the prospective relationship between physical activity and academic performance. Data Sources: Prospective studies were identified from searches in PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central, and Sportdiscus from 1990 through 2010. Study Selection: We screened the titles and abstracts for eligibility, rated the methodological quality of the studies, and extracted data. Main Exposure: Studies had to report at least 1 physical activity or physical fitness measurement during childhood or adolescence. Main Outcome Measures: Studies had to report at least 1 academic performance or cognition measure during childhood or adolescence. Results: We identified 10 observational and 4 intervention studies. The quality score of the studies ranged from 22% to 75%. Two studies were scored as high quality. Methodological quality scores were particularly low for the reliability and validity of the measurement instruments. Based on the results of the best-evidence synthesis, we found evidence of a significant longitudinal positive relationship between physical activity and academic performance. Conclusions: Participation in physical activity is positively related to academic performance in children. Because we found only2high-quality studies, future high-quality studies areneededtoconfirmourfindings.Thesestudiesshould thoroughly examine the dose-response relationship between physical activity and academic performance as well as explanatory mechanisms for this relationship. ©2012 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)49-55
JournalArchives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
Volume166
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012

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