Students from a Public School in the South of Chile with Better Physical Fitness Markers Have Higher Performance in Executive Functions Tests—Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

In the past few years, the level of physical fitness in children has decreased globally. According to the SIMCE test carried out in 2015, 45% of 8th year students in Chile were overweight. Moreover, international studies have shown that being overweight is associated with the development of chronic illnesses, negatively affecting cognitive mechanisms and processes. Nevertheless, there is little to no evidence that analyzes the relationship between physical fitness and executive functions in students, at a national level. The aim was to analyze the relationship between cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and motor fitness, and performance in an executive functions test, in students from a public school in the south of Chile. A qualitative, descriptive –correlational, non-experimental, and cross-sectional approach was used. In total, 100 students between 9 and 12 and 11 months of age from a public school in the south of Chile completed the physical fitness assessments through the ALPHA fitness test, and 81 students completed the executive function assessments through the ENFEN test. It was evidenced that students who achieved a longer duration of time and a later stage in the Course Navette test, more centimeters in the standing broad jump (SBJ) test, and a shorter duration in the 4 × 10 shuttle run obtained a better score in the gray trail test. Additionally, students who presented a stronger dominant handgrip scored higher in the colored trail tests. We conclude that students who show a higher level of physical fitness also present a better development of executive functions such as working memory and inhibitory control. In addition, these results suggest physical condition is a factor to consider for better cognitive and school performance.

Associations between Fluid Intelligence and Physical Fitness in School Children

“…The obtained results reveal statistically significant associations between the analyzed variables, fulfilling the research objective. These findings are in line with previous research that has highlighted the relationships between physical fitness and cognitive functions [23,24,[46][47][48][49].…”

“…In this regard, various studies have highlighted the existing relationship between physical fitness and cognitive functions at these ages [20][21][22]. For instance, a study conducted with Chilean students aged 9 to 12 [23] found better results in the gray and color trails test of the Neuropsychological Assessment of Executive Functions Battery for Children (ENFEN) in those students with higher scores in the 20 m shuttle run test, the standing broad jump (SBJ) test, and the 4 m × 10 m shuttle run test from the ALPHA-fitness battery. Another study with students aged 8 to 11 [24] also found associations between cognition and physical activity, assessed through Raven's test and physical speed tests.…”

Association between muscle strength and executive function in Tibetan adolescents at high altitude in China: Results from a cross‐sectional study at 16–18 years of age

“…In terms of intrinsic mechanism analysis, there is a correlation between muscle strength and executive function, and the effect on the brain may be to alter the excitability of spinal motor neurons and to induce synaptogenesis in the spinal cord (Adkins et al, 2006). In a study of 10‐ to 12‐year‐old children, greater lower extremity body muscle strength and greater upper extremity muscle strength were associated with better working memory, cognitive flexibility, inhibition, planning, and/or attention (Alonso‐Cabrera et al, 2023).…”

Association between soybean product consumption and executive function in Chinese Tibetan children and adolescents

“…Executive functions are critical to child and adolescent development, enabling children and children and adolescents to effectively focus their attention, multitask, understand and manage their emotions, and enhance their social skills (1)(2)(3). Executive functions are highly correlated with child and adolescent development and are important predictors of behavioral functioning, academic achievement, and even other outcomes such as athletic achievement, academic performance, mental health, social well-being, health, wealth, and quality of life (4)(5)(6).…”