Is There Any Relationship between Physical Activity Levels and Academic Achievement? A Cross-Cultural Study among Spanish and Chilean Adolescents

Abstract

The current scientific literature has shown significant disparity in results when physical activity is linked to academic achievement among adolescents. Thus, the main objectives of this study were (1) to analyze the relationship among students’ academic achievement, intention to be physically active, and physical activity levels depending on the country (Spain or Chile), as well as to analyze these relationships based on students’ socio-economic status, type of school, school year, gender, and body mass index; and (2) to analyze the differences between all these variables depending on the students’ country and gender. In total, 3052 adolescents participated in the research (14.58 ± 1.39 years): 734 Chilean students (336 males and 398 females) and 2318 Spanish students (1180 males and 1138 females). Various questionnaires were used to measure the study variables. The results revealed significant relationships between academic achievement and the rest of the variables in Spanish adolescents, but in the Chilean population, academic achievement was significantly related only to socio-economic status and the type of school. Moreover, Spanish students obtained higher scores, especially the males, except for academic achievement, which was higher in females. There were also significant differences in academic achievement, intention to be physically active, physical activity levels, and socio-economic status depending on the country, with all scores being higher in Spain. Given the results, the country seems to be an important factor when comparing academic achievement and physical activity levels, besides other demographic variables.

Differences in physical activity of adolescents of different sexes between 12 and 15 years old on different days of week

“…FA takođe ima pozitivan utivaj na psihološko blagostanje tako što efikasno smanjuje stress i anksioznost (Förster et al, 2023;. Ona takođe poboljšava kognitivne funkcije, kao i akademska postignuća (Gallardo et al, 2023;Haverkamp et al, 2021). Redovno bavljenje FA tokom nedelje adolescentima pruža značajnu mogućnost da se druže, unapređuje osećaj pripadnosti i društvenu povezanost .…”

“…PA also has a positive effect on psychological well-being by effectively reducing stress and anxiety (Förster et al, 2023;. It also enhances cognitive function, improving academic performance (Gallardo et al, 2023;Haverkamp et al, 2021). Regular engagement in PA throughout the week provides adolescents with valuable opportunities to socialize and promotes a sense of belonging and social connection .…”

The effect of smartphone addiction on adolescent health: the moderating effect of leisure physical activities

“…A consistent relationship has been demonstrated between SA and physical and mental health symptoms (Durak, 2017 ), including depression, anxiety, musculoskeletal problems (Kuss & Griffiths, 2017 ), and poor sleep (Muhammad et al, 2020 ). It is of great significance for maintaining the physical and mental health of adolescents to explore the mechanism of smartphone addiction among adolescents (Gallardo et al, 2023 ), thereby reducing the level of smartphone dependence, increasing the leisure sports activities, and improving physical fitness.…”