Cognitive Development and Non-Aerobic Physical Fitness in Preschoolers: a Longitudinal Study
Abstract
Introduction: Early childhood is the most critical period of healthy motor and cognitive development in human life and increased physical activity may provide health benefits across childhood and adolescence. Objective: The aim of this study was to quantify the relationship between non-aerobic physical fitness and cognitive development in preschool children. Methods: Participants included children from a longitudinal study in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (N=1380, first year; N=1320, second year). Non-aerobic physical fitness was assessed with the Sitting-Rising Test (SRT) and cognitive development with the Performance Indicators for Primary Schools (PIPS). Results: Non-aerobic physical fitness and cognitive development (0.25 for language and 0.17 mathematics, p<0.05) were positively correlated. The hierarchical linear regression models revealed that baseline measurements of non-aerobic physical fitness presented a small but significant association with prospective mathematic performance but not language after controlling for confounder variables (ES=0.16 for mathematics first year; ES=0.11 for mathematics second year). Conclusions: These results suggest an association between non-aerobic physical fitness and children's cognitive development in early school years.
References
Aadland, K.N., Ommundsen, Y., Aadland, E., Brønnick, K.S., Lervåg, A., Resaland, G.K., & Moe, V.F. (2017). Executive functions do not mediate prospective relations between indices of physical activity and academic performance: The Active Smarter Kids (ASK) study. Frontiers in Psychology, 8(Jun), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01088
Adkins, D.A.L., Boychuk, J., Remple, M.S., & Kleim, J.A. (2006). Motor training induces experience-specific patterns of plasticity across motor cortex and spinal cord. Journal of Applied Physiology, 101(6), 1776-1782. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00515.2006
Aguiar, D.K. de, Bartholo, T.L., & Tavares Jr., F. (2019). Relações entre a aptidão física não-aeróbica e o desempenho matemático em crianças. Lecturas: Educación Física y Deportes, 24(251), 15-25. https://www.efdeportes.com/index.php/EFDeportes/article/view/635
Alloway, T.P., & Archibald, L. (2008). Working memory and learning in children with developmental coordination disorder and specific language impairment. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 41(3), 251-262. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022219408315815
Alvarez-Bueno, C., Pesce, C., Cavero-Redondo, I., Sanchez-Lopez, M., Garrido-Miguel, M., & Martinez-Vizcaino, V. (2017). Academic achievement and physical activity: A meta-analysis. Pediatrics, 140(6), e20171498. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2017-1498
American College of Sports Medicine (2017). ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (10th ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Anderson, V.A., Anderson, P., Northam, E., Jacobs, R., & Catroppa, C. (2001). Development of executive functions through late childhood and adolescence in an Australian sample. Developmental Neuropsychology, 20(1), 385-406. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15326942DN2001_5
Andres, M., Di Luca, S., & Pesenti, M. (2008). Finger counting: The missing tool? Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 31(06), 642-643. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X08005578
Araújo, C.G.S., Castro, C.L.B., Franca, J.F.C., & Araújo, D.S.M.S. (2020). Sitting-rising test: Sex- and age-reference scores derived from 6141 adults. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 27(8), 888-890. https://doi.org/10.1177/2047487319847004
Araujo, C.G.S. de (1999). Teste de sentar-levantar: apresentação de um procedimento para avaliação em Medicina do Exercício e do Esporte. Revista Brasileira de Medicina Do Esporte, 5(5), 179-182. https://doi.org/10.1590/s1517-86921999000500004
Araujo, C.G.S. de (2015). Componentes aeróbico e não-aeróbicos da Aptidão Física: Fatores de Risco para mortalidade por todas as causas. Revista Factores de Risco, 35(1-3), 36-42.
Bartholo, T.L., Koslinski, M.C., Costa, M. da, & Barcellos, T. (2020). What do children know upon entry to pre-school in Rio de Janeiro? Ensaio: Avaliação e Políticas Públicas em Educação, 28(107), 292-313. https://doi.org/10.1590/s0104-40362019002702071
Bidzan-Bluma, I., & Lipowska, M. (2018). Physical activity and cognitive functioning of children: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15040800
Bloom, B.S. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: Handbook I. Cognitive domain. (2nd ed.). Longman.
Bond, T.G., & Fox, C.M. (2015). Applying the Rasch model: fundamental measurement in the human sciences (3rd ed.). Routledge.
Brito, L.B.B. de, Ricardo, D.R., Araújo, D.S.M.S. de, Ramos, P.S., Myers, J., & Araújo, C.G.S. de (2014). Ability to sit and rise from the floor as a predictor of all-cause mortality. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 21(7), 892-898. https://doi.org/10.1177/2047487312471759
Caspersen, C.J., Powell, K.E., & Christenson, G.M. (1985). Physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness: definitions and distinctions for health-related research. Public Health Reports, 100, 126-131.
Castelli, D.M., Hillman, C.H., Buck, S.M., & Erwin, H.E. (2007). Physical fitness and academic achievement in third- and fifth-grade students. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 29(2), 239-252. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.29.2.239
Davis, C.L., Tomporowski, P.D., McDowell, J.E., Austin, B.P., Miller, P.H., Yanasak, N.E., Allison, J.D., & Naglieri, J.A. (2011). Exercise Improves Executive Function and Achievement and Alters Brain Activation in Overweight Children: A Randomized, Controlled Trial. Health Psychology, 30(1), 91-98. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0021766
de Bruijn, A.G.M., Kostons, D.D.N. M., van der Fels, I.M.J., Visscher, C., Oosterlaan, J., Hartman, E., & Bosker, R.J. (2019). Importance of aerobic fitness and fundamental motor skills for academic achievement. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 43(February), 200-209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2019.02.011
Diamond, A. (2000). Close Interrelation of Motor Development and Cognitive Development and of the Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex. Child Development, 71(1), 44-56. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00117
Donnelly, J.E., Hillman, C.H., Castelli, D., Etnier, J.L., Lee, S., Tomporowski, P., Lambourne, K., & Szabo-Reed, A.N. (2016). Physical activity, fitness, cognitive function, and academic achievement in children: A systematic review. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 48(6), 1197-1222. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000901
Esteban-Cornejo, I., Tejero-González, C.M., Martinez-Gomez, D., Del-Campo, J., González-Galo, A., Padilla-Moledo, C., Sallis, J.F., & Veiga, O.L. (2014). Independent and combined influence of the components of physical fitness on academic performance in youth. Journal of Pediatrics, 165(2), 306-312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.04.044
Eveland-Sayers, B.M., Farley, R.S., Fuller, D.K., Morgan, D.W., & Caputo, J.L. (2009). Physical Fitness and Academic Achievement in Elementary School Children. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 6(1), 99-104. https://doi.org/doi.org/10.1123/jpah.6.1.99
Gallahue, D.L., Ozmun, J.C., & Goodway, J.D. (2019). Understanding Motor Development: Infants, Children, Adolescents, Adults (8th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Green, L.N., & Williams, K. (1992). Differences in developmental movement patterns used by active versus sedentary middle-aged adults coming from a supine position to erect stance. Physical Therapy, 72(8), 560-568. https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/72.8.560
Haapala, E.A., Poikkeus, A.M., Tompuri, T., Kukkonen-Harjula, K., Leppänen, P.H.T., Lindi, V., & Lakka, T.A. (2014). Associations of motor and cardiovascular performance with academic skills in children. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 46(5), 1016-1024. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000186
Higgins, S., Katsipataki, M., Villanueva-Aguilera, A.B., Coleman, R., Henderson, P., Major, L.E., Coe, R., & Mason, D. (2016). The Sutton Trust - Education Endowment Foundation Teaching and Learning Toolkit. https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/resources/teaching-learning-toolkit
Houwen, S., van der Veer, G., Visser, J., & Cantell, M. (2017). The relationship between motor performance and parent-rated executive functioning in 3- to 5-year-old children: What is the role of confounding variables? Human Movement Science, 53, 24-36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2016.12.009
Kao, S.C., Westfall, D.R., Parks, A.C., Pontifex, M.B., & Hillman, C.H. (2017). Muscular and Aerobic Fitness, Working Memory, and Academic Achievement in Children. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 49(3), 500-508. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000001132
Knudsen, E.I. (2004). Sensitive periods in the development of the brain and behavior. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 16(8), 1412-1425. https://doi.org/10.1162/0898929042304796
Lent, R., & Oliveira, R.M. (2018). O desenvolvimento da mente humana. In: R. Lent, A. Buchweitz, & M.B. Mota (Eds.), Ciência para educação: uma ponte entre dois mundos (1st ed., pp. 25-53). Editora Atheneu.
Lira, V.A., & Araújo, C.G.S. de (2000). Teste de sentar-levantar : estudos de fidedignidade. Revista Brasileira de Ciência e Movimento, 8(2), 9-18. https://doi.org/10.18511/rbcm.v8i2.358
Niederer, I., Kriemler, S., Gut, J., Hartmann, T., Schindler, C., Barral, J., & Puder, J.J. (2011). Relationship of aerobic fitness and motor skills with memory and attention in preschoolers (Ballabeina): A cross-sectional and longitudinal study. BMC Pediatrics, 11(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2431-11-34
Pascual, A.C., Moyano, N., & Robres, A.Q. (2019). The relationship between executive functions and academic performance in primary education: Review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 10(July). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01582
Payne, V.G., & Isaacs, L.D. (2011). Human Motor Development: A LifeSpan Approach (8th ed.). McGraw Hill. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315213040
Piaget, J. (1952). The origins of intelligence in children. International Universities Press Inc.
Piek, J.P., Dawson, L., Smith, L.M., & Gasson, N. (2008). The role of early fine and gross motor development on later motor and cognitive ability. Human Movement Science, 27(5), 668-681. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2007.11.002
Ricardo, D.R., & Araújo, C.G.S. de (2001). Teste de sentar-levantar: influência do excesso de peso corporal em adultos. Revista Brasileira de Medicina Do Esporte, 7(2), 45-52. https://doi.org/10.1590/s1517-86922001000200001
Roebers, C.M., & Kauer, M. (2009). Motor and cognitive control in a normative sample of 7-year-olds. Developmental Science, 12(1), 175-181. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7687.2008.00755.x
Roebers, C.M., Röthlisberger, M., Neuenschwander, R., Cimeli, P., Michel, E., & Jäger, K. (2014). The relation between cognitive and motor performance and their relevance for children’s transition to school: A latent variable approach. Human Movement Science, 33(1), 284-297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2013.08.011
Santana, C.C.A., Azevedo, L.B., Cattuzzo, M.T., Hill, J.O., Andrade, L.P., & Prado, W.L. (2017). Physical fitness and academic performance in youth: A systematic review. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 27(6), 579-603. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.12773
Sardinha, L.B., Marques, A., Minderico, C., Palmeira, A., Martins, S., Santos, D.A., & Ekelund, U. (2016). Longitudinal relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and academic achievement. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 48(5), 839-844. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000830
Stillman, C.M., Cohen, J., Lehman, M.E., & Erickson, K.I. (2016). Mediators of physical activity on neurocognitive function: A review at multiple levels of analysis. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 10, 626. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2016.00626
Torrijos-Niño, C., Martínez-Vizcaíno, V., Pardo-Guijarro, M.J., García-Prieto, J.C., Arias-Palencia, N.M., & Sánchez-López, M. (2014). Physical fitness, obesity, and academic achievement in schoolchildren. Journal of Pediatrics, 165(1), 104-109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.02.041
Tymms, P. (1999). Baseline assessment and monitoring in primary schools: Achievements, attitudes and value-added indicators. David Fulton Publishers.
Tymms, P. (2004). Effect sizes in multilevel models. In I. Schagen & K. Elliot (Eds.), But what Does it Mean: The Use of Effect Sizes in Educational Research (pp. 55-66). National Foundation for Educational Research.
Tymms, P., Merrell, C., & Henderson, B. (1997). The First Year at School: A Quantitative Investigation of the Attainment and Progress of Pupils. Educational Research and Evaluation, 3(2), 101-118. https://doi.org/10.1080/1380361970030201
Tymms, P., Merrell, C., & Jones, P. (2004). Using baseline assessment data to make international comparisons. British Educational Research Journal, 30(5), 673-689. https://doi.org/10.1080/0141192042000234647
UNICEF (2017). Early Moments Matter. In Early Childhood Development. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-7507-8
van der Fels, I.M.J., Te Wierike, S.C.M., Hartman, E., Elferink-Gemser, M.T., Smith, J., & Visscher, C. (2014). The relationship between motor skills and cognitive skills in 4-16 year old typically developing children: A systematic review. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 18(6), 697-703. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2014.09.007
van Dusen, D.P., Kelder, S.H., Kohl, H.W., Ranjit, N., & Perry, C.L. (2011). Associations of Physical Fitness and Academic Performance Among Schoolchildren. Journal of School Health, 81(12), 733-740. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2011.00652.x
Ventista, O.M. (2015). Validation of iPIPS Motor Development Assesment (Unpublished master’s dissertation). Durham University, Durham.
Wick, K., Kriemler, S., & Granacher, U. (2021). Effects of a Strength-Dominated Exercise Program on Physical Fitness and Cognitive Performance in Preschool Children. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 35(4), 983-990. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000003942
Zeng, N., Ayyub, M., Sun, H., Wen, X., Xiang, P., & Gao, Z. (2017). Effects of Physical Activity on Motor Skills and Cognitive Development in Early Childhood: A Systematic Review. BioMed Research International, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/2760716
Copyright (c) 2021 Lecturas: Educación Física y Deportes
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
