title: Physical activity and academic achievement among the medical students: A cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore physical activity (PA) habits among the medical students and examine the correlation with their grade point average (GPA) achievement at College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted among the medical students (n = 409), during the academic year 2012-2013. Students' physical activity habits were self-reported. GPA, body mass index (BMI) and body fat percent (BF%) were collected and analyzed with SPSS software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 409 students, 193 (47.2%) students reported being physically active. Our result showed a significant positive association between students' PA habits and high-GPA achievement (χ(2 )= 10.65, p = 0.001). The greatest odds ratio of high GPA was found among the fourth year students (OR = 3.08, CI: 1.15-8.28, p = 0.025) and fifth year students (OR = 5.07, CI: 1.48-17.31, p = 0.010). In addition, significant association was found between the normal BMI and high-GPA achievers (χ(2 )= 8.30; p = 0.016). However, no statistically, significant association was found between BF% and GPA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study showed a positive associations was found between PA habits and high academic achievement. In addition, positive association was found between PA, obese students and GPA achievement. Therefore, there is a need for the establishment of physical activity education and public health programs to promote importance of PA in Saudi population.
authors.affiliation: a King Saud University , Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdulmajeed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Drees
authors.affiliation: a King Saud University , Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Hamza
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abdulghani
authors.affiliation: a King Saud University , Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Irshad
authors.affiliation: a King Saud University , Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdulsalam Ali
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Baqays
authors.affiliation: a King Saud University , Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdulaziz Ali
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al-Zhrani
authors.affiliation: a King Saud University , Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Sulaiman Abdullah
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Alshammari
authors.affiliation: a King Saud University , Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Norah Ibrahim
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Alturki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D013337:Students, Medical; D055815:Young Adult