Purpose: The current literature is concentrated around the positive effects of aerobic fitness (AF) on performance in cognitive tests (CP) and academic performance (AP) (reviewed in Hillman 2008). However, motor skills (MS) are often overlooked in this equation, and studies evaluating both AF and MS and their relationship to CP and AP are presently lacking. Thus, the purpose of this baseline-association study was to investigate the relationship between MS, AF, CP and AP in children.
Method: 166 1st grade children (72 girls, mean age 7.5 years +/-0.31) from the Copenhagen area had their AF, phonological working-memory capacity (PWM), spatial working-memory capacity (SWM), math performance (MP) and fine- and gross-motor skill (FMS & GMS) assessed.
Results: Significant associations were found between FMS and MP (P < 0.003), FMS and SWM (P < 0.001) and FMS and PWM (P < 0.001). Likewise, a significant association was evident between GMS and MP (P < 0.001), and GMS and SWM (P < 0.001). Furthermore, significant associations were found between AF and SWM (P < 0.001) and AF and PWM (P < 0.001).
Conclusion: We found significant associations between the children´s FMS, GMS, MP and CP. Further studies are needed to investigate possible causal mechanisms underlying the relations between these measures.