RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHYSICAL CONDITION AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM LA SERENA-CHILE

Abstract

The aim of this investigation was to compare the relationship between different components of physical fitness with academic performance in public school students from La Serena, Chile. To perform the analysis, data from the following test was collected: Test Course-Navette, horizontal broad jump, body mass index (B.M.I.) and waist perimeter, test applied to public school students during 2019; as well as grades averages from Language, Mathematics, Sciences, History, Physical Education, and grade point average. The data from 1629 students from 19 different schools were included for the analysis. To compare the relationship between the mentioned variables, the Spearman correlation coefficient was applied through IBM® SPSS® statistics. Of the four test considered, waist perimeter and maximal oxygen consumption (VO_2máx) were the ones with the highest number of statistically significant relationships with the different subjects and grade point average, with 3 out of 6 (50%) and 4 out of 6 (66,6%) respectively. According to the obtained results, it concludes that a significant relationship exists between the variables waist perimeter and VO_2máx with academic performance in students from public schools from La Serena, Chile, so it is proposed to dedicate efforts and to use better strategies to strengthen both variables of physical fitness in educational institutions with the purpose to stimulate the academic performance of the students.