Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 6, 2026

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

27.7K

Relationship between weight status and cognition in children: A mediation analysis of physical fitness components

Abel Ruiz-Hermosa1,2, Jorge Mota3, Ana Díez-Fernández1,4

  • 1Social and Health Care Research Center, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, Spain.

Journal of Sports Sciences
|October 11, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Physical fitness, including cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), speed-agility, and muscular fitness (MF), significantly enhances cognitive performance in children. Fitness mediates the negative impact of excess body mass index (BMI) on cognition.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Exercise Science

Background:

  • Childhood obesity is a growing concern impacting overall health.
  • Excess body mass index (BMI) is linked to poorer cognitive outcomes in children.
  • The role of specific physical fitness components in mediating this relationship requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze cognitive performance differences across fitness components (cardiorespiratory fitness [CRF], speed-agility, muscular fitness [MF]) and weight status in children.
  • To determine if physical fitness mediates the association between BMI and cognitive performance.
  • To highlight the importance of fitness in mitigating negative effects of excess weight on cognition.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study of 630 children aged 5-7 years.
  • Assessment of fitness components (CRF, speed-agility, MF) and BMI using standard procedures.
  • Cognitive performance evaluated using the BADyG battery; mediation analyses conducted with Hayes's PROCESS macro.

Main Results:

  • Normal-weight children outperformed overweight/obese peers in spatial and general intelligence, an effect attenuated by CRF.
  • Higher CRF and speed-agility correlated with better cognitive scores irrespective of BMI.
  • Enhanced muscular fitness (MF) was associated with superior verbal intelligence scores.
  • All fitness components significantly mediated the relationship between BMI and general intelligence.

Conclusions:

  • Physical fitness plays a critical role in cognitive development among children.
  • Maintaining good cardiorespiratory fitness, speed-agility, and muscular fitness can counteract the detrimental cognitive effects of excess weight.
  • Interventions promoting physical fitness are crucial for supporting children's cognitive health, especially those with higher BMI.

Keywords:
Body fatnesscardiorespiratory fitnesscognitive performancemuscular fitnessspeed-agility

More Related Videos

Determining Soil-transmitted Helminth Infection Status and Physical Fitness of School-aged Children10:57

Determining Soil-transmitted Helminth Infection Status and Physical Fitness of School-aged Children

Published on: August 22, 2012

24.2K
Physical Activity Measurement in Children Accepting Table Tennis Training06:51

Physical Activity Measurement in Children Accepting Table Tennis Training

Published on: July 27, 2022

2.3K

Related Concept Videos

Information Processing Approach01:30

Information Processing Approach

The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is...
461
Biological Influences on Intelligence01:30

Biological Influences on Intelligence

Intelligence is often thought to be linked to brain size, but the relationship is more complex than that. While brain size does correlate modestly with some abilities, like verbal skills, the connection is weaker for others, such as spatial reasoning. Other factors, like brain structure, also play crucial roles. For instance, despite Einstein's smaller-than-average brain, his parietal cortex, which is involved in spatial reasoning, was 15% wider, suggesting that neural density might matter...
446
Nature and Nurture01:10

Nature and Nurture

Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience,...
22.1K
Language and Cognition01:27

Language and Cognition

Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
669
Environmental Influences on Intelligence01:29

Environmental Influences on Intelligence

Despite the strong genetic influence on traits like intelligence, environmental factors significantly shape outcomes. For example, while over 90% of height variation is due to genetic differences, environmental factors such as nutrition also have a notable impact. Similarly, for intelligence, changes in a child's surroundings can significantly alter their IQ. Research shows that enriched environments boost children's academic success and help them develop key cognitive skills. Children...
826
Cognitive Development During Adulthood01:30

Cognitive Development During Adulthood

Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...
728