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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Academic Performance : Cross-Lagged Associations from Adolescence to Young Adulthood

Karri SilventoinenUrho M. KujalaJaakko KaprioRichard J. RoseAntti LatvalaSari Aaltonen

subject

GerontologyMaleLongitudinal studyadulthoodAdolescentLeisure timePhysical activityphysical activityTWINCHILDRENArticleDevelopmental psychologyLESSONS03 medical and health sciencesYoung Adult0302 clinical medicineLeisure ActivitiesACHIEVEMENTSurveys and QuestionnairesAcademic PerformanceTwins DizygoticAerobic exerciseHumansCOHORT030212 general & internal medicineLongitudinal StudiesYoung adultAssociation (psychology)ta315ChildExerciseFinlandMultidisciplinaryacademic performanceCognition030229 sport sciencesta3142Twins Monozygoticleisure-timeAEROBIC FITNESS3142 Public health care science environmental and occupational healthaikuisuusCohortCOGNITIONadolescenceFemaleHEALTHPsychology

description

AbstractPhysical activity and academic performance are positively associated, but the direction of the association is poorly understood. This longitudinal study examined the direction and magnitude of the associations between leisure-time physical activity and academic performance throughout adolescence and young adulthood. The participants were Finnish twins (from 2,859 to 4,190 individuals/study wave) and their families. In a cross-lagged path model, higher academic performance at ages 12, 14 and 17 predicted higher leisure-time physical activity at subsequent time-points (standardized path coefficient at age 14: 0.07 (p < 0.001), age 17: 0.12 (p < 0.001) and age 24: 0.06 (p < 0.05)), whereas physical activity did not predict future academic performance. A cross-lagged model of co-twin differences suggested that academic performance and subsequent physical activity were not associated due to the environmental factors shared by co-twins. Our findings suggest that better academic performance in adolescence modestly predicts more frequent leisure-time physical activity in late adolescence and young adulthood.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2016-12-15
10.1038/srep39215http://hdl.handle.net/10138/174961