Do the duration and frequency of physical education predict academic achievement, self-concept, social skills, food consumption, and body mass index?

• Published in: Health education journal Vol. 73; no. 2; pp. 166 - 178
• Main Authors: Simms, Kathryn, Bock, Sara, Hackett, Lewis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01-03-2014; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Body; Body Composition; Body Mass Index; Correlation; Diet; Eating Habits; Elementary School Students; Factor Analysis; Food; Food consumption; Forecasts; Goodness of Fit; Grade 5; Interpersonal Competence; Longitudinal Studies; Measures (Individuals); Mental Health; Physical Education; Prediction; Self; Self Concept; Self Description Questionnaire; Self esteem; Selfconcept; Skills; Sleep; Social skills; Structural Equation Models; Television Viewing; physical education; Academic achievement; diet; childhood obesity; social skills
• ISSN: 0017-8969; 1748-8176
• DOI: 10.1177/0017896912471040

Objective:
Prior research on the efficacy of physical education has been conducted in a piecemeal fashion. More specifically, studies typically test a single benefit hypothesized to be associated with physical education (e.g. body mass index [BMI]) while excluding others (e.g. social skills) and not controlling for important confounds (e.g. diet). Such research designs have precluded a comprehensive evaluation of physical education, and may also help explain mixed findings reported in the literature. The purpose of this study, then, was to re-evaluate the efficacy of participation in physical education through a more robust model that considers BMI, academic achievement, self-concept, and social skills while controlling for poor diet and out-of-school activities (i.e. television viewing, sleep, and general activity levels).
Design, Setting, and Method:
Structural equation modelling (SEM) was conducted on data derived from a sample of 10,210 fifth graders in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study.
Results:
Nationwide, 68% of fifth graders participated in physical education one or two days per week. Physical education was positively associated with academic achievement (effect size = .10), and negatively associated with both low self-concept (effect size = .06) and less healthy food choices (i.e. sugar-sweetened beverages, potatoes, and fast food; effect size = .11). However, participation in physical education was not associated with BMI or teacher-reported social skills.
Conclusion:
 Even at the low ‘dosages’ reported, physical education is associated with improved mental health, dietary choices, and academic achievement.