Syntes: Physical Activity, Fitness, Cognitive Function, and Academic Achievement in Children: A Systematic Review (2016)

Källa: https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000901 (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 48(6))

Verified content

• [abstract] American College of Sports Medicine position stand / systematic review of children aged 5–13, articles from January 1990 to September 2014; 64 studies on cognition, learning and the brain and 73 on academic achievement and concentration.
• [abstract] Most research supports benefits of fitness, single bouts of activity and activity programmes for children's cognitive functioning; controlled experiments on academic performance are mixed.
• [abstract] No indication that more physical activity harms cognition or academic achievement; physical activity and PE are rated as having a neutral effect on academic achievement (evidence category C).
• [abstract] Limitations: few randomised trials, many underpowered studies, many studies at high risk of bias.

Limits

• [assessment] Position stand over a mixed-quality evidence base. Full text open at PMC4874515 but not read for this note.

Added 2026-10-16 by the project (broadening, Jonatan approved 2026-10-16). Verified 2026-10-16 by the project against the sources named in each line. [abstract] = from the published abstract; [full text] = read in the full text; [assessment] = the project's own judgement, not a fact from the paper.