title: Fitness change and subsequent academic performance in adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study examined the association between fitness change and subsequent academic performance in Taiwanese schoolchildren from 7th grade to 9th grade.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 7th graders from 1 junior high school district participated in this study (N = 669). Academic performance was extracted from school records at the end of each grade. Cardiovascular (CV) fitness, sit-and-reach flexibility, bent-leg curl-ups, and height and weight for calculating body mass index (BMI) were assessed at the start of each grade.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that improvement in CV fitness, but not muscular endurance or flexibility, is significantly related to greater academic performance. A weak and nonsignificant academic-BMI relationship was seen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CV fitness exhibits stronger longitudinal associations with academic performance than other forms of fitness or BMI for adolescents.
authors.affiliation: National Taiwan University of Physical Education and Sport, No. 16, Section 1, Shuang-Shih Road, Taichung 404, Taiwan. ljchen@ntupes.edu.tw
authors.forename: Li-Jung
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Kenneth R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: Po-Wen
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Ku
authors.forename: Chih-Yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Taun
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011998:Recreation; D012574:Schools; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013177:Sports / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: academic achievement; cardiovascular fitness; physical fitness; school achievement; school performance