title: Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity, Indices of Cognitive Control, and Academic Achievement in Preadolescents.
abstract: To assess whether preadolescents' objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is associated with cognitive control and academic achievement, independent of aerobic fitness.
  
  
  
  A sample of 74 children (Meanage = 8.64 years, SD = .58, 46% girls) were included in the analyses. Daily MVPA (min/d) was measured over 7 days using ActiGraph wGT3X+ accelerometer. Aerobic fitness was measured using a maximal graded exercise test and expressed as maximal oxygen uptake (mL*kg(-1)*min(-1)). Inhibitory control was measured with a modified Eriksen flanker task (reaction time and accuracy), and working memory with an Operation Span Task (accuracy scores). Academic achievement (in reading, mathematics, and spelling) was expressed as standardized scores on the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement. The relationships were assessed using hierarchical regression models adjusting for aerobic fitness and other covariates.
  
  
  
  No significant associations were found between MVPA and inhibition, working memory, or academic achievement. Aerobic fitness was positively associated with inhibitory control (P = .02) and spelling (P = .04) but not with other cognitive or academic variables (all P > .05).
  
  
  
  Aerobic fitness, rather than daily MVPA, is positively associated with childhood ability to manage perceptual interference and spelling. Further research into the associations between objectively measured MVPA and cognitive and academic outcomes in children while controlling for important covariates is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; National Center for Sport and Exercise Medicine, School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, United Kingdom. Electronic address: D.M.Pindus@medschl.cam.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Dominika M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Pindus
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL.
authors.forename: Eric S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Drollette
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL.
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Scudder
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL.
authors.forename: Naiman A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL.
authors.forename: Lauren B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Raine
authors.affiliation: National Center for Sport and Exercise Medicine, School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, United Kingdom; The National Institute for Health Research Leicester-Loughborough Diet, Lifestyle and Physical Activity Biomedical Research Unit, Loughborough, Leicestershire, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Lauren B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Sherar
authors.affiliation: National Center for Sport and Exercise Medicine, School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, United Kingdom; The National Institute for Health Research Leicester-Loughborough Diet, Lifestyle and Physical Activity Biomedical Research Unit, Loughborough, Leicestershire, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Dale W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Esliger
authors.affiliation: The Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL.
authors.forename: Arthur F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL.
authors.forename: Charles H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hillman
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry / Q000295:instrumentation; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition; D004522:Educational Status; D015444:Exercise; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011930:Reaction Time
keywords: Accelerometry; aerobic fitness; children; inhibitory control; standardized academic tests; working memory