Associations of physical activity and sedentary behavior with academic skills--a follow-up study among primary school children.

ABSTRACT:

Background

There are no prospective studies that would have compared the relationships of different types of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) with academic skills among children. We therefore investigated the associations of different types of PA and SB with reading and arithmetic skills in a follow-up study among children.

Methods

The participants were 186 children (107 boys, 79 girls, 6-8 yr) who were followed-up in Grades 1-3. PA and SB were assessed using a questionnaire in Grade 1. Reading fluency, reading comprehension and arithmetic skills were assessed using standardized tests at the end of Grades 1-3.

Results

Among all children more recess PA and more time spent in SB related to academic skills were associated with a better reading fluency a

SUBMITTER: Haapala EA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4160223 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature