Prospective associations between physical fitness and executive function in adolescents: The UP&DOWN study |
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| Institution: | 1. GICAFE “Physical Activity and Exercise Sciences Research Group”, Faculty of Education, University of Balearic Islands, Balearic Islands, Spain;2. PROFITH “PROmoting FITness and Health Through Physical Activity” Research Group, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain;3. College of Health and Human Services, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA;4. IMDEA Food Institute, CEI UAM+CSIC, Madrid, Spain;5. Department of Preventive Medicine, Public Health and Microbiology, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain;6. Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia;7. Department of Psychology, Department of Physical Therapy, Movement, And Rehabilitation Sciences, Northeastern University Boston, MA, USA;8. Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Education Sciences, University of Cádiz, Puerto Real, Spain;9. Biomedical Research and Innovation Institute of Cádiz (INiBICA), Cádiz, Spain;10. Department of Experimental Psychology, Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Spain;11. EstiLIFE “Lifestyles, Physical Activity and Eating Behavior Research Group”, Department of Physical Education, Sport and Human Movement, Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain |
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| Abstract: | IntroductionThe objective of the present work is to investigate the prospective associations between physical fitness components (cardiorespiratory fitness, motor fitness, and muscular strength) and two domains of executive function (working memory and inhibitory control) in adolescents.MethodsA total of 422 Spanish adolescents (13.35 ± 1.54 years, at baseline) from the UP&DOWN study with assessments at baseline and at 2-year follow-up were included in the analysis. Physical fitness was assessed using the ALPHA Fitness Test Battery. Working memory was measured by the n-back task and inhibitory control by the go/no-go task. Relationships of physical fitness components with working memory and inhibitory control were examined using linear regression models, adjusted for confounders.ResultsHigher baseline levels of the three physical fitness components (cardiorespiratory fitness, motor fitness, and muscular strength) individually predicted better performance on the working memory (βranged, from .159 to .207; all p < .012) and inhibitory control (βranged, from 0.168 to 0.263; all p < .004) tasks at the 2-year follow-up. Muscular strength was the only component associated with inhibitory control independent of the other 2 physical fitness components (β = 0.266; p = .005).ConclusionsAll components of adolescents’ physical fitness at baseline were individually associated with better working memory and inhibitory control at 2-year follow-up. Specifically, our results revealed that muscular strength was the component showing the strongest association with executive function, and even the only fitness component associated with inhibitory control independent of the other fitness components. These findings may have important public health and educational implication, since promoting exercise programs that improve physical fitness, and particularly, muscular strength, may positively influence cognitive health. |
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| Keywords: | Motor activity Youth Education Cognition Working memory Inhibitory control Brain function |
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