{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,13]],"date-time":"2026-06-13T05:33:59Z","timestamp":1781328839052,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,1]],"date-time":"2024-11-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1730419200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Ministry of Sport of Brazil\u2013MoS and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development\u2014CNPq","award":["445078\/2023-5"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["445078\/2023-5"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Behavioral Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between physical fitness, executive function, and academic performance in children and adolescents. A total of 131 students (49% female) aged 10\u201315 years from a public school in Rio de Janeiro were assessed in executive functions (hearts and flowers, Corsi\u2019s block, and digit span tasks), academic performance (Portuguese, reading, math, and overall school grade), physical tests (touch test disc, agility, lower limb and upper limb explosive strength), and anthropometric measurements. Regression results showed that the composite of sports-related fitness measures was the best predictor of executive functions (\u03b2 = 0.472; t = \u22126.075 p &lt; 0.001). Decision tree classifier analysis showed that the combination of factors that discriminated better and worse executive function groups were better performance in hand\u2013eye coordination (TTD), math, and upper limb strength (ULEST). Sports-related fitness is significantly correlated with executive function. Hand\u2013eye motor coordination has been identified as the most important predictor of improved cognitive outcomes, surpassing even academic skills. These findings should be considered in the design of physical activity programs in school settings, which may have a positive impact on child development, reflected in the reduction of academic and socioeconomic disparities.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/bs14111022","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,1]],"date-time":"2024-11-01T09:49:14Z","timestamp":1730454554000},"page":"1022","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["Physical Fitness, Executive Functions, and Academic Performance in Children and Youth: A Cross-Sectional Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7848-9542","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Valter","family":"Fernandes","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Exercise Neuroscience Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 22290-140, RJ, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9867-9426","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Arthur","family":"Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia, Rio de Janeiro 20081-312, RJ, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8294-4552","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrea","family":"Carvalho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia, Rio de Janeiro 20081-312, RJ, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9325-9545","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sidarta","family":"Ribeiro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, UFRN, Natal 59076-550, RN, Brazil"},{"name":"Mental Health Research Group, Center for Strategic Studies (CEE), Fiocruz 21040-361,  RJ, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5941-9111","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrea","family":"Deslandes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Exercise Neuroscience Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 22290-140, RJ, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"126","article-title":"Physical Activity, Exercise, and Physical Fitness: Definitions and Distinctions for Health-Related Research","volume":"100","author":"Caspersen","year":"1985","journal-title":"Public Health Rep."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"448","DOI":"10.1177\/0031512519900055","article-title":"Sports Participation Correlates With Academic Achievement: Results from a Large Adolescent Sample Within the 2017 U.S. National Youth Risk Behavior Survey","volume":"127","author":"Burns","year":"2020","journal-title":"Percept. 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