Physical activity, cognition and academic performance: an analysis of mediating and confounding relationships in primary school children.

BACKGROUND: Exploring the relationship between physical activity, cognition and academic performance in children is an important but developing academic field. One of the key tasks for researchers is explaining how the three factors interact. The aim of this study was to develop and test a conceptual model that explains the associations among physical activity, cognition, academic performance, and potential mediating factors in children. METHODS: Data were sourced from 601 New Zealand children aged 6-11 years. Weekday home, weekday school, and weekend physical activity was measured by multiple pedometer step readings, cognition by four measures from the CNS Vital Signs assessment, and academic performance from the New Zealand Ministry of Education electronic Assessment Tools for Teaching and Learning (e-asTTle) reading and maths scores. A Structured Equation Modelling approach was used to test two models of variable relationships. The first model analysed the physical activity-academic performance relationship, and the second model added cognition to determine the mediating effect of cognition on the physical activity-academic performance association. Multigroup analysis was used to consider confounding effects of gender, ethnicity and school socioeconomic decile status. RESULTS: The initial model identified a significant association between physical activity and academic performance (r = 0.225). This direct association weakened (r = 0.121) when cognition was included in the model, demonstrating a partial mediating effect of cognition. While cognition was strongly associated with academic performance (r = 0.750), physical activity was also associated with cognition (r = 0.138). Subgroups showed similar patterns to the full sample, but the smaller group sizes limited the strength of the conclusions. CONCLUSIONS: This cross-sectional study demonstrates a direct association between physical activity and academic performance. Furthermore, and importantly, this study shows the relationship between physical activity and academic performance is supported by an independent relationship between physical activity and cognition. Larger sample sizes are needed to investigate confounding factors of gender, age, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity. Future longitudinal analyses could investigate whether increases in physical activity can improve both cognition and academic performance.

Students on stairs: a participatory approach using decisional cues in the form of motivational signs to promote stair use.

Objective: The authors assessed whether an intervention using motivational signs designed in a participatory manner to promote stair use resulted in changes to the proportion of stair to elevator use. Participants: Students of a German university were observed in three different academic buildings. Methods: The study design consisted of direct observations during a pre-intervention period, an intervention phase introducing motivational signs promoting stair use at points of decision and a post-intervention period. Results: The proportion of students who took the stairs on average differed significantly between baseline and intervention phase I (χ2(1) = 12.2; p = .001; Phi = 0.078), baseline and intervention phase II (χ2(1) = 17.3; p = .001; Phi = 0.093), and baseline and post-intervention (χ2(1) = 9.9; p = .002; Phi = 0.074). Conclusions: Simple and cost-effective interventions can increase stair use of university students.

Health Literacy Among University Students: A Systematic Review of Cross-Sectional Studies.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this systematic review was to provide an overview of cross-sectional studies that examined health literacy among university students and to identify possible determinants related to health literacy. METHOD: The current review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Three databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) were systematically searched for cross-sectional studies that examined health literacy among university students. Results of included studies were narratively summarized. RESULTS: The systematic review includes twenty-one research studies. The majority of studies report health literacy scores among university students that are lower compared to reference samples. The health literacy of students is influenced by different variables (age, gender, number of semesters, course of studies/curriculum, parental education, and socioeconomic background). DISCUSSION: Health literacy activities should target all students. Universities should make use of their resources and offer health literacy courses for students in which content is used from disciplines available at the university (e.g., medicine, health, or psychology). To increase effectiveness, health literacy courses should be adapted according to the different needs and characteristics of the student subgroups.

Standing Breaks in Lectures Improve University Students' Self-Perceived Physical, Mental, and Cognitive Condition.

While adolescents and adults should limit high levels of sedentary behavior, university students spend large amounts of time on sedentary activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of this prolonged sitting on students' self-perceived physical, mental, and cognitive condition and to answer the question of whether simple standing breaks in lectures can help students improve these conditions and for example feel more concentrated, motivated, or less tense in class. A five-minute standing break was introduced using a designed presentation slide for one semester in five different 90-min lectures. In addition, an active break as well as an open break with no trigger were implemented in two further lectures to explicitly investigate the effects of a standing break. Before, during, and after the semester, the students were surveyed about their physical, mental, and cognitive condition (836 respondents at start, 634 during semester, and 528 at the end). To evaluate the practicality and acceptance of the standing break, lecturers were interviewed about their experience. At all survey time points, the standing break was highly accepted by the university students. About three quarters of the students felt a relaxation of the muscles in the neck and shoulder as well as in the back and the legs. More than three quarters perceived an increase in concentration, receptiveness and retentiveness, motivation, and well-being. Results of the statistical analysis indicate that a standing break as well as an active break are more effective than an open break to improve the self-perceived physical and psychological well-being of the university students. The increase in cognitive skills is reported by all groups, including the group who were offered open breaks. Hence, standing breaks in university lectures receive a high level of acceptance and practicability and have the potential to increase students' physical, mental, and cognitive condition and contribute to students' physical activity and health. While field research provides opportunities such as the testing of measures in the natural environment and producing real-life results relevant to the students and lecturers, it also imposes limitations as lecture settings differed, not all disturbances could be controlled, and the participation in the study might have led to social-desirability bias. For a sustainable development of a standing-friendly teaching and learning culture at universities, further interventions as well as the consideration of the topic in all processes and decisions within the universities are necessary. Since this study has taken place, student-life has changed drastically with COVID-19 measures. While this current paper is based on research conducted in 2019 and has only tested live lectures on campus, the tools tested could also be used for online lectures.

Stand Up, Students! Decisional Cues Reduce Sedentary Behavior in University Students.

Background: University students are prone to sedentary behavior (SB) which is associated with multiple negative health outcomes. Sit-stand desks may allow for a reduction of SB through standing bouts. To promote standing in university students, decisional cues might be a low-cost approach that can easily be implemented. Purpose: To investigate the effects of decisional cues on students' SB, standing, and active behavior. Method: Over 3 weeks, students were observed in a building on a German university campus, which provides sit-stand-desks in study areas, using an adapted version of the SOPLAY protocol. Baseline data was collected in the first week (T1), before posters and table plaques containing decisional cues were set up in the study areas. Effects were measured in the following 2 weeks (T2 and T3). Results: 2,809 (33% female) students were observed. Sitting decreased from 92.9% [SD = 14.9] to 84.5% [SD = 22.1] from T1 to T3 [F (1, 141) = 15.6; p < 0.01; η2 = 0.10]. Standing increased from 5.6% [SD = 13.5] to 10.9% [SD = 14.4] [F (1, 141) = 9.0; p < 0.01; η2 = 0.06] and being active from 1.5% [SD = 6.9] to 4.5% [SD = 14.8] from T1 to T3 [F (1, 141) = 4.2; p < 0.05; η2 = 0.03). Main effect analyses revealed more students standing in the afternoon compared to morning and lunchtime [F (2, 140) = 3.2; p < 0.05; η2 = 0.04). Discussion: Decisional cues could decrease students' SB and promote standing or being active as alternatives. Future research should use a more rigorous study design. The content of the decisional cues should be explored more and expanded to other health promotion areas on campus.