Artículo de revista
Autonomic profile, physical activity, body mass index and academic performance of school students
Registration in:
20711050
Corporación Universidad de la Costa
REDICUC - Repositorio CUC
Author
Mendoza-Castejón, Daniel
Clemente-Suárez, Vicente Javier
Institutions
Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyze the autonomic modulation, physical activity, body mass
index, and academic performance of preschool and school students by grade. Extracurricular physical
activity, heart rate variability, body mass index, and objective and subjective academic performance
were analyzed in 180 preschool and primary school students (7.91 ± 2.29 years). Significant lower
heart rate and higher parasympathetic modulation were found in 10–12-year-old primary education
students. The 8–9-year-old students obtained the worst results in English and in five of the subjective
academic performance items. Students aged 10–12 years old presented the highest body composition
values. No significant differences were found on the extracurricular physical activity by age.
No correlation between autonomic profile, physical activity, and body composition with objective
academic performance was found. Nerveless subjective academic performance perception of teachers
presented a negative correlation with body composition and the parasympathetic modulation. School
students presented an increased body mass index and parasympathetic modulation by age. Physical
activity of all students, independently of the age, were lower than the official recommendations.