@misc{10481/63269,
year = {2020},
month = {6},
url = {http://hdl.handle.net/10481/63269},
abstract = {The current evidence for a relation between children’s heart rate measures and their
academic performance and executive functioning is infancy. Despite several studies observing
dose-response effects of physical activity on academic performance and executive function in children,
further research using objective measures of the relative intensity of physical activity (e.g., heart rate)
is warranted. The present study aimed to inspect associations between heart rate response and various
academic performance indicators and executive function domains. A total of 130 schoolchildren
between the ages of 9 and 13 years (M = 10.69, SD 0.96 years old; 56.9% boys) participated in a
cross-sectional study. Children’s heart rate data were collected through participation in physical
education classes using the polar TeamTM hardware and software. One week before heart rate
measures, academic performance was obtained from the school records in maths, Spanish language,
Catalan language, physical education, and Grade point average. Executive function was measured
by two domains, cognitive flexibility with the Trail Making Test and inhibition with the Stroop test.
Associations between children’s heart rate data and academic performance and executive function
were analyzed using regression models. Academic performance was found to be positively related
to four heart rate measures (β range, 0.191 to 0.275; all p < 0.040). Additionally, the hard heart rate
intensity level was positively related to two academic indicators (β range, 0.183 to 0.192; all p < 0.044).
Three heart rate measures were associated with two cognitive flexibility subdomains (β range, −0.248
to 0.195; all p < 0.043), and three heart rate measures were related to one inhibition subdomain (β
range, 0.198 to 0.278; all p < 0.028). The results showed slight associations of heart rate responses
during physical education lessons with academic performance but did not clearly indicate associations
with executive function. Future experimental studies testing associations between different bouts of
intensity levels are needed to disentangle the relationship with brain function during childhood.},
organization = {Ajudes a Projectes de Recerca per a Grups Competitius de L'Institut de Recerca i Innovacio Educativa (IRIE) Edicio 2019 	
13.},
publisher = {MDPI},
keywords = {Physical activity},
keywords = {School-aged},
keywords = {Cognitive flexibility},
keywords = {Inhibition},
keywords = {Academic achievement},
keywords = {Brain Function},
title = {Associations of Heart Rate Measures during Physical Education with Academic Performance and Executive Function in Children: A Cross-Sectional Study},
doi = {10.3390/ijerph17124307},
author = {Muntaner-Mas, Adrià and Vidal Conti, Josep and Salmon, Jo and Palou Sampol, Pere},
}