Background and objective: There is an increased interest in exploring the association between fitness components with cognitive development in children in recent years. One of the scopes is to find the best exercise prescription to enhance health and cognition. Most of the studies so far have focused on cardiorespiratory fitness with little evidence on other fitness components. The present study aimed to explore the association between physical fitness (PF) and motor fitness (MF) with cognitive performance in children. Methods: Two hundred and six schoolboys (11.0 ± 0.8 y) underwent a battery of tests to measure information processing speed (i.e., simple and choice reaction time) and inhibitory control (i.e., Simon task). PF components (i.e., flexibility, muscular strength, and endurance) and MF components (speed and agility) were measured. Results: Multiple linear regression analysis adjusted for potential confounders (i.e., age, socioeconomic status, %fat and physical activity) revealed no relationship between flexibility, speed, muscular strength, and endurance with either information processing tasks or inhibitory control tasks. However, a positive association was observed between agility with both congruent reaction time and incongruent reaction time. Conclusions: No relationship was observed between the underlying fitness components with either information processing or inhibitory control. However, an association was observed between agility with inhibitory control.

The study aimed to explore the association between academic achievement and physical status including physical activity, aerobic and muscular fitness tests in a sample of adolescents. Five hundred and eighty 15–17 years old adolescent boys underwent standard anthropometry and various physical fitness tests (e.g., one-mile run/walk, grip strength, run speed, agility, push-ups and sit and reach tests). PA was obtained by questionnaire. Academic achievement of the boys was extracted from the cumulative grade point averages (CGPA) from school records. Possible covariates/confounders such as adiposity, pubertal maturation status and socioeconomic status were obtained. After controlling for potential confounders PA was not significantly correlated to CGPA (P > 0.05). Among the physical fitness tests, just time in one-mile run/walk test added significant effect on prediction of CGPA (P < 0.01). None of the other fitness tests were significantly correlated to CGPA (P > 0.05). Aerobic fitness (but not PA and muscular fitness) was significantly correlated to better academic achievement in the adolescent boys.

Reaction time (RT) testing is one of the oldest diagnostic methods used in modern psychology, and is known as simple and sensitive cognitive test. It has been recently reported that RT is related to obesity in young, adult and elderly individuals. However, most of the studies included small sample of participants, used just body mass index (BMI) as body obesity index, and did not consider some potential confounders such as age, socioeconomic status and physical activity in their studies. Furthermore, there is little and contradictory results for children. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the relationship between RT and weight status in a sample of children. Three hundred and fifty four 9–12 year old schoolboys underwent standard anthropometry, and various simple RT tests. After controlling for potential confounders no significant relationship was observed between audio-RT (RTA) and clinical RT (RTclin) with BMI, %fat, waist circumference (WC) and waist to height ratio (WHtR) (P > 0.05). But, significant relationship (β = 0.18; P = 0.02) was observed between visual-RT (RTV) and %fat (but not BMI, WC and WHtR). Among the various simple RT tasks and central and total body obesity indices, just significant relationship was observed between %fat and RTV in the schoolboys. According to the results, it is concluded that RT impairment due to obesity may less be observed, or may not be observed for some types of RT tasks and obesity indices during childhood.

The aims of the study were to explore the association between depressive symptoms (DS), physical activity (PA), aerobic and muscular fitness in a sample of children. Four hundred and fifty-six schoolboys aged 7–11-year-old underwent standard anthropometry and various physical fitness tests (e.g., aerobic fitness, strength, speed, power, agility and flexibility). DS and PA were obtained by questionnaires. After adjustment for potential confounders (e.g., age, socioeconomic status and adiposity), PA was significantly and negatively related to DS (P < 0.05). Among the physical fitness tests, just time in one-mile run/walk was significantly related to DS (P < 0.05). Physical activity and aerobic fitness were significantly correlated with DS; however, no significant relationship was observed between DS and the muscular fitness tests in the children.

The present study aimed to explore the association between physical fitness (PF) and cognitive performance in a sample of 19-24 year old males. Two hundred and eleven young males (20.2±1.5 years) participated in the study. Cognitive functioning tasks including information processing speed and...