Padulo Johnny, Bragazzi Nicola Luigi, De Giorgio Andrea, Grgantov Zoran, Prato Sebastiano, Ardigò Luca Paolo
Department of Psychology, eCampus University, Novedrate, Italy.
Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, Split, Croatia.
Front Physiol. 2019 Mar 5;10:202. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00202. eCollection 2019.
When compared to the previous generations, younger generations have become sedentary on a global level. Physical activity positively contributes to human growth and development, causing, indeed, both physiological and psychological benefits. The aim of the current study was examining the relationship between physical activity and school achievement in a sample of 80 Italian elementary (viz. primary) school last year responding children (11.0 ± 0.3 years, 1.46 ± 0.09 m, 39.5 ± 7.9 kg). Such an aim was fulfilled by investigating eventual correlations between physical tests results and school marks and by disclosing eventual mutual relationships between socio-demographics, family context, lifestyle (including physical activity), and school performance information using a structural modeling approach. Children were assessed for lower/upper limbs muscle strength and running/agility performance. Pearson's correlation between physical tests and school performance was studied. We found that agility correlated with English, Italian, mathematics, music, and sport marks, whereas jump correlated with English, mathematics, sport, and technologies marks. Sprint correlated with mathematics, sport, and technologies marks. All correlation coefficients were moderate, except for correlations between sport marks and physical tests (strong correlation). From the structural model, we found that socio-demographics and lifestyle significantly impacted on school achievement. In particular, lifestyle was found to fully moderate the impact of the family context on school achievement. Schools and households represent important settings for improving children physical and psychological-cognitive health and status, offering physical activities opportunities.
与前几代人相比，年轻一代在全球范围内都变得久坐不动。体育活动对人类的生长发育有积极作用，确实会带来生理和心理上的益处。本研究的目的是在80名意大利小学（即小学）六年级儿童（11.0±0.3岁，身高1.46±0.09米，体重39.5±7.9千克）的样本中，研究体育活动与学业成绩之间的关系。通过调查体育测试结果与学业成绩之间的潜在相关性，并使用结构建模方法揭示社会人口统计学、家庭环境、生活方式（包括体育活动）和学业表现信息之间的潜在相互关系，实现了这一目标。对儿童的下肢/上肢肌肉力量和跑步/敏捷性能进行了评估。研究了体育测试与学业成绩之间的皮尔逊相关性。我们发现敏捷性与英语、意大利语、数学、音乐和体育成绩相关，而跳跃与英语、数学、体育和技术成绩相关。短跑与数学、体育和技术成绩相关。除了体育成绩与体育测试之间的相关性（强相关性）外，所有相关系数均为中等。从结构模型中，我们发现社会人口统计学和生活方式对学业成绩有显著影响。特别是，发现生活方式完全调节了家庭环境对学业成绩的影响。学校和家庭是改善儿童身体和心理认知健康及状况、提供体育活动机会的重要场所。
