Relationships between physical activity, sedentary time, aerobic fitness, motor skills and executive function and academic performance in children

- Motor skills were associated with executive function and academic performance.
- Aerobic fitness was associated with executive function and academic performance.
- Sex-specific associations were observed for motor skills and aerobic fitness to executive function and academic performance.

BackgroundThere is evidence for weak positive relationships between physical activity, aerobic fitness, and motor skills to executive functions and academic achievement. Studies assessing their relative importance to executive functions and academic performance are lacking. The purpose of this study was to examine the independent associations for moderate to vigorous physical activity and sedentary time, aerobic fitness, and motor skills with executive functions and academic performance in 10-year-old children.MethodA linear mixed model was used to analyze cross-sectional data from 697 children from 57 schools in Norway.ResultsNo relationships were observed between moderate to vigorous physical activity and executive functions or academic performance. The time spent sedentary was related to executive functions (standardized regression coefficient (β) 0.17-0.21, p < 0.05) and academic performance in English (β 0.22, p < 0.05) in boys. Aerobic fitness was associated with executive functions (β 0.16-0.21, p < 0.05) and academic performance (β 0.17-0.21, p < 0.05) in boys only. Motor skills were associated with most measures of executive functions in both girls (β 0.16-0.25, p < 0.01) and boys (β 0.13-0.22, p < 0.05) and academic performance in girls (β 0.13-0.16, p < 0.05).ConclusionsThe strongest independent associations were observed for motor skills to executive functions. Sex-specific associations were observed for aerobic fitness and motor skills. Thus, comprehensive physical activity targeted to increase both aerobic fitness and motor skills may have the potential to positively affect executive functions and academic performance.