Healthy lifestyle behaviours are positively and independently associated with academic achievement: An analysis of self-reported data from a nationally representative sample of Canadian early adolescents
Open Access
- 28 July 2017
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Public Library of Science (PLoS) in PLOS ONE
- Vol. 12 (7), e0181938
- https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0181938
Abstract
The lifestyle behaviours of early adolescents, including diet, physical activity, sleep, and screen usage, are well established contributors to health. These behaviours have also been shown to be associated with academic achievement. Poor academic achievement can additionally contribute to poorer health over the lifespan. This study aims to characterize the associations between health behaviours and self-reported academic achievement. Data from the 2014 Canadian Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children Study (n = 28,608, ages 11–15) were analyzed. Students provided self-report of academic achievement, diet, physical activity, sleep duration, recreational screen time usage, height, weight, and socioeconomic status. Multi-level logistic regression was used to assess the relationship of lifestyle behaviours and body weight status with academic achievement while considering sex, age, and socioeconomic status as potential confounders. All health behaviours exhibited independent associations with academic achievement. Frequent consumption of vegetables and fruits, breakfast and dinner with family and regular physical activity were positively associated with higher levels of academic achievement, while frequent consumption of junk food, not meeting sleep recommendations, and overweight and obesity were negatively associated with high academic achievement. The present findings demonstrate that lifestyle behaviours are associated with academic achievement, potentially identifying these lifestyle behaviours as effective targets to improve academic achievement in early adolescents. These findings also justify investments in school-based health promotion initiatives.Keywords
Funding Information
- Public Health Agency of Canada
- Alberta Innovates - Health Solutions (CA) (201300671)
- Women and Children's Health Research Institute (CA)
This publication has 47 references indexed in Scilit:
- Neurocognitive correlates of obesity and obesity-related behaviors in children and adolescentsInternational Journal of Obesity, 2013
- A Narrative Review of Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Obesity to Cognition and Scholastic Performance across the Human LifespanAdvances in Nutrition: An International Review Journal, 2011
- The association between school-based physical activity, including physical education, and academic performance: A systematic review of the literaturePreventive Medicine, 2011
- Self‐esteem and cognitive development in the era of the childhood obesity epidemicObesity Reviews, 2008
- Food Intake and Academic PerformanceAmong AdolescentsCanadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 2008
- Physical education, school physical activity, school sports and academic performanceInternational Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2008
- Coordinated School Health Programs and Academic Achievement: A Systematic Review of the LiteratureJournal of School Health, 2007
- Health behaviour and academic achievement in Icelandic school childrenHealth Education Research, 2006
- Breakfast Habits, Nutritional Status, Body Weight, and Academic Performance in Children and AdolescentsJournal of the American Dietetic Association, 2005
- Correlates of fruit and vegetable intake among adolescentsPreventive Medicine, 2003