Physical activity and performance at school: a systematic review of the literature including a methodological quality assessment.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the prospective relationship between physical activity and academic performance.


METHODS
Prospective studies were identified from searches in PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central, and Sportdiscus from 1990 through 2010.


METHODS
We screened the titles and abstracts for eligibility, rated the methodological quality of the studies, and extracted data.


METHODS
Studies had to report at least 1 physical activity or physical fitness measurement during childhood or adolescence.


METHODS
Studies had to report at least 1 academic performance or cognition measure during childhood or adolescence.


RESULTS
We identified 10 observational and 4 intervention studies. The quality score of the studies ranged from 22% to 75%. Two studies were scored as high quality. Methodological quality scores were particularly low for the reliability and validity of the measurement instruments. Based on the results of the best-evidence synthesis, we found evidence of a significant longitudinal positive relationship between physical activity and academic performance.


CONCLUSIONS
Participation in physical activity is positively related to academic performance in children. Because we found only 2 high-quality studies, future high-quality studies are needed to confirm our findings. These studies should thoroughly examine the dose-response relationship between physical activity and academic performance as well as explanatory mechanisms for this relationship.
Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT Amsterdam, the Netherlands. a.singh@vumc.nl
Amika
A
Singh
Léonie
L
Uijtdewilligen
Jos W R
JW
Twisk
Willem
W
van Mechelen
Mai J M
MJ
Chinapaw
D000124:Achievement; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000523:psychology*; D012574:Schools