Repositorio
Institucional

Cristi-Montero, Carlos

Ibarra-Mora, Jessica

Gaya, Anelise

Castro-Pinero, Jose

Solis-Urra, Patricio

Aguilar-Farias, Nicolas

Ferrari, Gerson

Rodriguez-Rodriguez, Fernando

Sadarangani, Kabir P.

Could Physical Fitness Be Considered as a Protective Social Factor Associated with Bridging the Cognitive Gap Related to School Vulnerability in Adolescents? The Cogni-Action Project

MDPI

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH

en

The first aim was to compare differences between school vulnerability groups, fitness levels, and their combination in adolescent cognitive performance. The second aim was to determine the mediation role of fitness in the association between school vulnerability and cognitive performance. A total of 912 Chilean adolescents aged 10-14 years participated in this study. The school vulnerability index (SVI) assigned by the Chilean Government was categorized into high-, mid-, or low-SVI. Adolescents were classified as fit or unfit according to their global fitness z-score computed from their cardiorespiratory (CRF), muscular (MF), and speed/agility fitness (SAF) adjusted for age and sex. A global cognitive score was estimated through eight tasks based on a neurocognitive battery. Covariance and mediation analyses were performed, adjusted for sex, schools, body mass index, and peak high velocity. Independent analyses showed that the higher SVI, the lower the cognitive performance (F-(6,F-905) = 18.5, p < 0.001). Conversely, fit adolescents presented a higher cognitive performance than their unfit peers (F-(5,F-906) = 8.93, p < 0.001). The combined analysis found cognitive differences between fit and unfit adolescents in both the high- and mid-SVI levels (Cohen's d = 0.32). No differences were found between fit participants belonging to higher SVI groups and unfit participants belonging to lower SVI groups. Mediation percentages of 9.0%, 5.6%, 7.1%, and 2.8% were observed for the global fitness score, CRF, MF, and SAF, respectively. The mediation effect was significant between low- with mid-high-SVI levels but not between mid- and high-SVI levels. These findings suggest that an adequate physical fitness level should be deemed a protective social factor associated with bridging the cognitive gap linked to school vulnerability in adolescents. This favourable influence seems to be most significant in adolescents belonging to a more adverse social background.

artículo original

Carlos Cristi-Montero received funding for the Cogni-Action Project from the National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research CONICYT/FONDECYT INICIACION 2016 grant No. 11160703 (Chile), and the National Research and Development Agency (ANID) from Chile-2019, Postdoctoral Grant No. 74200071.

Carlos Cristi-Montero recibió financiamiento para el Proyecto Cogni-Acción de la Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica CONICYT/FONDECYT INICIACION 2016 beca No. 11160703 (Chile), y de la Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo (ANID) de Chile-2019, Postdoctorado Subvención nº 74200071.

10.3390/ijerph181910073

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cognition

children

physical activity

vulnerable populations

poverty

SOCIOECONOMIC-STATUS

CHILDHOOD

PERFORMANCE

CHILDREN

HEALTH

POVERTY

IMPACT

EDUCATION

EXERCISE

GROWTH

Ciencias Ambientales

Salud pública

ambiental y ocupacional

cognición

niños

actividad física

poblaciones vulnerables

pobreza

ESTADO SOCIOECONÓMICO

INFANCIA

RENDIMIENTO

NIÑOS

SALUD

POBREZA

IMPACTO

EDUCACIÓN

EJERCICIO

CRECIMIENTO

Could Physical Fitness Be Considered as a Protective Social Factor Associated with Bridging the Cognitive Gap Related to School Vulnerability in Adolescents? The Cogni-Action Project

artículo original

version publicada

CC BY 4.0

CC BY 4.0

acceso abierto

acceso abierto

CONICYT/FONDECYT 11160703

ANID 74200071

WOS:000762593300001