Lifestyle Behaviours, Self-Esteem and Academic Performance in Primary Education Students—A Structural Equation Model According to Sex and School Type
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Villodres Bravo, Gracia Cristina; Salvador Pérez, Federico; Chacón Cuberos, Ramón; Muros Molina, José JoaquínEditorial
MDPI
Materia
Physical activity Mediterranean diet adherence Screen time
Date
2023-10-31Referencia bibliográfica
Villodres, G.C.; Salvador-Pérez, F.; Chacón-Cuberos, R.; Muros, J.J. Lifestyle Behaviours, Self-Esteem and Academic Performance in Primary Education Students—A Structural Equation Model According to Sex and School Type. Children 2023, 10, 1769. https://doi.org/10.3390/children10111769
Sponsorship
Spanish “Ministerio de Universidades” under predoctoral Grant “Formación de Profesorado Univesitario” to G.C.V. (FPU20/02739)Abstract
(1) Background: The present study aimed to examine the relationship between physical
activity (PA), screen time (ST), maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence,
self-esteem (SE) and academic performance (AP) in primary education students. In order to
address this aim, an explanatory model was developed to examine the existing relationships between
PA, ST, VO2max, MD adherence, SE and AP. Further, the proposed structural model was examined
via multi-group analysis as a function of sex and school type. (2) Methods: A non-experimental,
descriptive, comparative and cross-sectional study was designed with a total sample of 269 Spanish
students (11.29 ± 0.62). Validated questionnaires were administered to collect data on study variables.
(3) Results: Relative to boys, girls reported better academic grades and showed a stronger
positive relationship between MD adherence and AP, MD adherence and PA, and VO2max and SE.
Likewise, girls showed a stronger negative relationship between ST and VO2max, and ST and MD
adherence. At the same time, mixed funding school (MFS) students reported higher PA engagement
than state school (SS) students. However, SS students reported better MD adherence, ST and AP
than MFS students. Further, a stronger positive relationship was found in SS students between
MD adherence or VO2max and SE than in MFS students. Also, within the former group, ST was
more negatively related to MD adherence and VO2max. (4) Conclusions: Scientific and educational
communities must develop future strategies that consider potential determinants in order to target
more desirable outcomes.