Physical fitness and cognitive function among school–aged children in selected basic schools in the Ho Municipality of Ghana
Physical fitness is thought to promote cognitive function. Evidence about this is however lacking in the Ghanaian context. This study aimed to investigate the association between physical fitness and cognitive function among basic school children aged 8–13 years. A cross-sectional study involving 59...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Heliyon |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844021004291 |
| _version_ | 1818440226276638720 |
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| author | Priscilla Cecilia Akpene Amenya Reginald Adjetey Annan Charles Apprey Daniel Edem Kpewou |
| author_facet | Priscilla Cecilia Akpene Amenya Reginald Adjetey Annan Charles Apprey Daniel Edem Kpewou |
| author_sort | Priscilla Cecilia Akpene Amenya |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Physical fitness is thought to promote cognitive function. Evidence about this is however lacking in the Ghanaian context. This study aimed to investigate the association between physical fitness and cognitive function among basic school children aged 8–13 years. A cross-sectional study involving 591 school children, recruited from 12 randomly selected public and private basic schools was conducted. Physical fitness tests were done using a five-test battery (Fifty metre run, handgrip strength, sit-up, flexibility and standing board jump) following standardized procedures. Cognitive function test using the Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices (RCPM) were carried out. More girls (55%), children from 8-13 years old (49.1%) and public school children (66.1%) participated in the study. For fitness, boys performed better than girls in sit ups 3.4 ± 2.2 (mean ± SD), p = 0.012, handgrip 4.3 ± 2.0, p = 0.001 and overall fitness 4.3 ± 2.0, p = 0.007. Children in public schools performed significantly better in forward jump (p < 0.001) while those in private schools did better in 50m run (p < 0.001). For cognition, 46.1% of participants had less than 50% of the total score. Cognitive test score varied for forward jump and handgrip alone and not for sit ups, 50m run and overall score. Mean forward jump score was lowest in poor cognition group (4.9 ± 2.3), followed by good (5.3 ± 2.2) and highest among excellent (5.5 ± 2.3, p = 0.044) cognition group. Similar observation was made for handgrip. Cognition score and hand grip strength were positively but weakly correlated. (r = 0.132, p = 0.026). Although handgrip strength (measuring muscular strength) was significantly associated with cognitive function, this study found no significant association between overall physical fitness and cognitive function. These results indicate that only some components of physical fitness may be associated with cognitive function. This study is however correlational and one cannot infer causality. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T18:08:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-69d89f49f9d84b17b0c1fdee6a8963d2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T18:08:59Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-69d89f49f9d84b17b0c1fdee6a8963d22022-12-21T22:52:19ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402021-03-0173e06324Physical fitness and cognitive function among school–aged children in selected basic schools in the Ho Municipality of GhanaPriscilla Cecilia Akpene Amenya0Reginald Adjetey Annan1Charles Apprey2Daniel Edem Kpewou3Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31, Ho, Ghana; Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biosciences, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, PMB Kumasi, Ghana; Corresponding author.Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biosciences, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, PMB Kumasi, GhanaDepartment of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biosciences, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, PMB Kumasi, GhanaDepartment of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biosciences, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, PMB Kumasi, GhanaPhysical fitness is thought to promote cognitive function. Evidence about this is however lacking in the Ghanaian context. This study aimed to investigate the association between physical fitness and cognitive function among basic school children aged 8–13 years. A cross-sectional study involving 591 school children, recruited from 12 randomly selected public and private basic schools was conducted. Physical fitness tests were done using a five-test battery (Fifty metre run, handgrip strength, sit-up, flexibility and standing board jump) following standardized procedures. Cognitive function test using the Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices (RCPM) were carried out. More girls (55%), children from 8-13 years old (49.1%) and public school children (66.1%) participated in the study. For fitness, boys performed better than girls in sit ups 3.4 ± 2.2 (mean ± SD), p = 0.012, handgrip 4.3 ± 2.0, p = 0.001 and overall fitness 4.3 ± 2.0, p = 0.007. Children in public schools performed significantly better in forward jump (p < 0.001) while those in private schools did better in 50m run (p < 0.001). For cognition, 46.1% of participants had less than 50% of the total score. Cognitive test score varied for forward jump and handgrip alone and not for sit ups, 50m run and overall score. Mean forward jump score was lowest in poor cognition group (4.9 ± 2.3), followed by good (5.3 ± 2.2) and highest among excellent (5.5 ± 2.3, p = 0.044) cognition group. Similar observation was made for handgrip. Cognition score and hand grip strength were positively but weakly correlated. (r = 0.132, p = 0.026). Although handgrip strength (measuring muscular strength) was significantly associated with cognitive function, this study found no significant association between overall physical fitness and cognitive function. These results indicate that only some components of physical fitness may be associated with cognitive function. This study is however correlational and one cannot infer causality.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844021004291Physical fitnessCognitionAcademic performanceSchool-aged childrenGhana |
| spellingShingle | Priscilla Cecilia Akpene Amenya Reginald Adjetey Annan Charles Apprey Daniel Edem Kpewou Physical fitness and cognitive function among school–aged children in selected basic schools in the Ho Municipality of Ghana Heliyon Physical fitness Cognition Academic performance School-aged children Ghana |
| title | Physical fitness and cognitive function among school–aged children in selected basic schools in the Ho Municipality of Ghana |
| title_full | Physical fitness and cognitive function among school–aged children in selected basic schools in the Ho Municipality of Ghana |
| title_fullStr | Physical fitness and cognitive function among school–aged children in selected basic schools in the Ho Municipality of Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Physical fitness and cognitive function among school–aged children in selected basic schools in the Ho Municipality of Ghana |
| title_short | Physical fitness and cognitive function among school–aged children in selected basic schools in the Ho Municipality of Ghana |
| title_sort | physical fitness and cognitive function among school aged children in selected basic schools in the ho municipality of ghana |
| topic | Physical fitness Cognition Academic performance School-aged children Ghana |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844021004291 |
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