June 2011

Sports Participation, Fitness Linked to Academic Achievement

Add another study to the list showing that sports and fitness participation can boost academic performance. Preteens in Portugal with higher levels of fitness and sports participation performed better in the classroom, according to research presented at the American College of Sports Medicine's 58th Annual Meeting and 2nd World Congress on Exercise is Medicine. The association was stronger for students who played more sports or who participated over a longer period of time, particularly girls.

"This study documents a correlation between sports participation, fitness levels and academics," said Maria Joao Almeida, Ph.D., lead author of the study. "This does not claim to show causation, but it does point up a connection that deserves further study."

The research involved 345 5th graders and 388 7th graders attending urban public schools in Madeira Island, Portugal. Both female and male students participated; all participated in compulsory physical education classes.

Students were measured for physical fitness, aerobic capacity and percent body fat. They answered questionnaires about their participation in school sports or youth sports leagues and clubs over the past three years. Academic achievement was measured by averaging the final year grades in compulsory classes. Researchers found that boys reported significantly higher levels of sports participation, and for a longer period, than girls.

Almeida said that heightened interest in many countries on academic competitiveness, together with pressures to streamline curricula, suggested the need for further research into the link between physical activity and academic achievement.