The indirect and direct pathways between physical fitness and academic achievement on commencement in post-compulsory education in a historical cohort of Danish school youth
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The indirect and direct pathways between physical fitness and academic achievement on commencement in post-compulsory education in a historical cohort of Danish school youth. / Andersen, Mikkel Porsborg; Starkopf, Liis; Sessa, Maurizio; Mortensen, Rikke Nørmark; Vardinghus-Nielsen, Henrik; Bøggild, Henrik; Lange, Theis; Torp-Pedersen, Christian.
In: BMC Public Health, Vol. 17, 699, 11.09.2017.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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T1 - The indirect and direct pathways between physical fitness and academic achievement on commencement in post-compulsory education in a historical cohort of Danish school youth
AU - Andersen, Mikkel Porsborg
AU - Starkopf, Liis
AU - Sessa, Maurizio
AU - Mortensen, Rikke Nørmark
AU - Vardinghus-Nielsen, Henrik
AU - Bøggild, Henrik
AU - Lange, Theis
AU - Torp-Pedersen, Christian
N1 - Correction to: The indirect and direct pathways between physical fitness and academic achievement on commencement in post-compulsory education in a historical cohort of Danish school youth (BMC public health (2017) 17 1 (699): https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4775-9
PY - 2017/9/11
Y1 - 2017/9/11
N2 - Background: Some studies have found positive associations between physical fitness and academic achievements. Pupils' academic achievements should indicate scholastic abilities to commence a post-compulsory education. However, the effect magnitude of physical fitness and academic achievements on commencement in post-compulsory education is unknown. We examined the pathways between physical fitness and academic achievement on pupils' commencement in post-compulsory education. Methods: This historical cohort study followed 530 girls and 554 boys from the Danish municipality of Aalborg in the period 2008-2014, 13 to 15 years old in 2010. Physical fitness was assessed through a watt-max cycle ergometer test represented as VO2max (mL·kg-1·min-1). Academic achievement, commencement status and information on covariates were obtained from Danish nationwide registers. Causal inference based mediation analysis was used to investigate the indirect and direct pathways by separating the total effect of physical fitness on post-compulsory education commencement. Results: Adjusting for sex, age, ethnicity and socioeconomic status, the overall mediation analysis showed an odds ratio (OR) of 1.87 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.30; 2.73) for the total effect, corresponding to an increase in odds of post-compulsory education commencement when the physical fitness was increased by 10 units of VO2max. The separated total effect showed a natural direct OR of 1.36 (95% CI: 0.93; 1.98) and a natural indirect (i.e., through academic achievement) OR of 1.37 (95% CI: 1.20; 1.57). Thus, 51% (95% CI: 27%; 122%) of the effect of physical fitness on post-compulsory education commencement was mediated through academic achievement. Conclusion: Physical fitness had a positive effect on post-compulsory education commencement. A substantial part of this effect was mediated through academic achievement.
AB - Background: Some studies have found positive associations between physical fitness and academic achievements. Pupils' academic achievements should indicate scholastic abilities to commence a post-compulsory education. However, the effect magnitude of physical fitness and academic achievements on commencement in post-compulsory education is unknown. We examined the pathways between physical fitness and academic achievement on pupils' commencement in post-compulsory education. Methods: This historical cohort study followed 530 girls and 554 boys from the Danish municipality of Aalborg in the period 2008-2014, 13 to 15 years old in 2010. Physical fitness was assessed through a watt-max cycle ergometer test represented as VO2max (mL·kg-1·min-1). Academic achievement, commencement status and information on covariates were obtained from Danish nationwide registers. Causal inference based mediation analysis was used to investigate the indirect and direct pathways by separating the total effect of physical fitness on post-compulsory education commencement. Results: Adjusting for sex, age, ethnicity and socioeconomic status, the overall mediation analysis showed an odds ratio (OR) of 1.87 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.30; 2.73) for the total effect, corresponding to an increase in odds of post-compulsory education commencement when the physical fitness was increased by 10 units of VO2max. The separated total effect showed a natural direct OR of 1.36 (95% CI: 0.93; 1.98) and a natural indirect (i.e., through academic achievement) OR of 1.37 (95% CI: 1.20; 1.57). Thus, 51% (95% CI: 27%; 122%) of the effect of physical fitness on post-compulsory education commencement was mediated through academic achievement. Conclusion: Physical fitness had a positive effect on post-compulsory education commencement. A substantial part of this effect was mediated through academic achievement.
KW - Academic achievement
KW - Causal inference
KW - Mediation analysis
KW - Physical fitness
KW - Post-compulsory education
KW - Scholastic abilities
U2 - 10.1186/s12889-017-4712-y
DO - 10.1186/s12889-017-4712-y
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 28893221
AN - SCOPUS:85029288485
VL - 17
JO - BMC Public Health
JF - BMC Public Health
SN - 1471-2458
M1 - 699
ER -
ID: 190434677