Low Aerobic Fitness and Obesity Are Associated with Lower Standardized Test Scores in Children

Abstract

Objective-To investigate whether aerobic fitness and obesity in school children are associated with standardized test performance.Study design-1,989 ethnically diverse fifth, seventh and ninth graders attending California schools comprised the sample. Aerobic fitness was determined by a one-mile run/walk test; BMI was obtained from state-mandated measurements. California standardized test scores were obtained from the school district.Results-Students whose mile run/walk times exceeded California Fitnessgram standards or whose BMI exceeded CDC sex-and age-specific body weight standards scored lower on California standardized math, reading and language tests than students with desirable BMI status or fitness level, even after controlling for parent education among other covariates. Ethnic differences in standardized test scores were consistent with ethnic differences in obesity status and aerobic fitness. BMI-for-age was no longer a significant multivariate predictor when covariates included fitness level.Conclusions-Low aerobic fitness is common among youth and varies among ethnic groups, and aerobic fitness level predicts performance on standardized tests across ethnic groups. More research is needed to uncover the physiological mechanisms by which aerobic fitness may contribute to performance on standardized academic tests. Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. NIH Public Access NIH-PA Author ManuscriptNIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author ManuscriptSchools have been ambivalent about addressing student obesity and lack of physical fitness because these health conditions are thought to be only tangentially related to academic achievement. Optimizing student academic achievement has typically been seen as a primary goal for school boards. The suggestion that physical activity and other lifestyle behaviors may affect brain functions such as learning, memory and decision-making is largely untested. Evidence is beginning to emerge, however, suggesting that childhood obesity and fitness may influence learning and measured academic performance (3,4). In counseling parents about consequences of their child's weight status, it may be helpful for pediatricians to be able to address the evidence for a possible link between academic achievement and a child's body weight. Moreover, the lack of opportunities for students to engage in physical activity in the school system and the lack of measures of fitness as vital sign in pediatric medicine may contribute to this ambivalence and lack of translation of knowledge about childhood health from physician to parent. Me...

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