Limitations
Despite the contribution regarding the relationship of physical fitness to academic
achievement, several limitations of the study warrant mention. First, as discussed,
student motivation may account for a portion of the variance explained in the relationship
between physical fitness and academic performance. Second, the utilization
of field-test measures of physical fitness, although administered by researchers, have
a restricted evaluation of fitness in children. Other laboratory procedures, such as
maximum oxygen consumption (e.g., VO2max), are more valid and reliable measures
of aerobic fitness. However, a field test was chosen to examine the relationship
between fitness and cognition in an externally valid setting, and allowed for a greater
understanding of the relationship between the various components of fitness, rather
than only aerobic fitness. Finally, the sample was not random, and therefore the
findings from this study may not be generalizable to other populations.
Summary
In conclusion, this study confirms that physical fitness is generally associated with
academic performance in elementary school children. Aerobic fitness and BMI
were associated with achievement in reading and mathematics, whereas strength
and flexibility fitness were unrelated to general academic achievement, reading,
and mathematics. Continued research is needed to gain a more causal understanding
of the relationship between physical fitness and cognition in children. Future
research should address which parameters of physical fitness and activities obtain
the greatest cognitive benefits, examine the effects of physical activity and fitness
by cohorts, and investigate which moderators have the greatest impact on student
cognition.