Fitness, physical activity and academic achievement in overweight/obese children

The aim of this study was to examine the associations of fitness and physical activity with academic achievement in children with overweight/obesity. A total of 106 (10.0 ± 1.1y, 61 boys) children participated. The fitness components were assessed by field and laboratory-based tests. Physical activity was measured via accelerometry. The academic achievement was assessed by a standardised test and school-grades. Field-based cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with language skills (ß-standardised- ranging from 0.281 to 0.365, p 0.01). Overall, the significant associations observed for muscular strength and speed/agility were attenuated and disappeared in many cases after additional adjustments for body mass index and cardiorespiratory fitness, indicating that these associations are inter-dependent. Our study contributes by indicating that other fitness components apart from cardiorespiratory fitness, such as muscular strength and speed-agility, are positively associated with academic achievement. However, these associations appear to be dependent on body mass index and cardiorespiratory fitness.This work was supported by the Fundación Alicia Koplowitz [-]; Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness [BES-2014-068829]; Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport [FPU15/02645]; Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport [FPU14/06837]; Strategic Research Area Health Care Science, Karolinska Institutet/Umea University [-]; Junta de Andalucia, Consejería de Conocimiento, Investigación y Universidades [-]; University of Granada, Plan Propio de Investigación 2016, Excellence actions: Units of Excellence, Unit of Excellence on Exercise and Health (UCEES) [-]; European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme [667302]; The SAMID III network, RETICS [PN I+D+I 2017-2021]; ISCIII- Sub-Directorate General for Research Assessment and Promotion, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) [RD16/0022]; EXERNET Research Network on Exercise and Health in Special Populations [DEP2005-00046/ACTI]; Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional [DEP2013-47540]; Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities [FJC2018-037925-I]