Mikkel Porsborg Andersen1, Linda Valeri2,3, Liis Starkopf4, Rikke Nørmark Mortensen5, Maurizio Sessa6, Kristian Hay Kragholm5, Henrik Vardinghus-Nielsen7, Henrik Bøggild5,7, Theis Lange4,8, Christian Torp-Pedersen5,7. 1. Unit of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Aalborg University Hospital, Sdr. Skovvej 15, 9000, Aalborg, Denmark. mikkel.andersen@stofanet.dk. 2. McLean Hospital, Belmont Campus-North Belknap, Room 310A, Belmont, MA, USA. 3. Harvard Medical School Boston, Boston, MA, USA. 4. Section of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, 1353, Copenhagen, Denmark. 5. Unit of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Aalborg University Hospital, Sdr. Skovvej 15, 9000, Aalborg, Denmark. 6. Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Pharmacology "L. Donatelli", University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Via De Crecchio 7, 80138, Naples, Italy. 7. Public Health and Epidemiology Group, Department of Health Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University, Niels Jernes Vej 12, 9220, Aalborg, Denmark. 8. Center for Statistical Science, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Family socioeconomic status influences pupils' academic achievements, and studies have established positive associations between physical fitness and academic achievements. However, whether physical fitness mediates the relationship remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: We investigated if pupils' physical fitness mediates the pathway between family socioeconomic status and academic achievement using causal inference-based mediation analysis. METHODS: This study included 527 girls and 552 boys between 13 and 15 years of age from the Danish municipality of Aalborg. Physical fitness was measured through VO2max tests in 2010 and demographic data were obtained from nationwide registers. Family socioeconomic status was classified into four levels ranging from 1 to 4, where level 1 represents the lowest and level 4 the highest based on either family income or education. RESULTS: Controlling for sex, ethnicity, age, and parents' cohabitation status, all total effects display higher academic achievement with increased family socioeconomic status. Splitting the effects, the direct effects reveal the existence of other pathways not involving physical fitness. The indirect effects established physical fitness as a mediator showing that pupils from family socioeconomic status levels one, three, and four changes grade by - 0.13 [95% confidence interval (CI) - 0.26, - 0.01], 0.07 (95% CI 0.00, 0.14), and 0.24 (95% CI 0.14, 0.34), respectively, compared to socioeconomic status level two. The corresponding proportions mediated are 18% (95% CI 1, 57), 6% (95 CI 0, 13), and 12% (95% CI 7, 18) when family socioeconomic status is based on education. Classifying family socioeconomic status on income, pupils from family socioeconomic status levels one, three, and four show grade changes of - 0.07 (95% CI - 0.16, 0.02), 0.22 (95% CI 0.13, 0.32), and 0.26 (95% CI 0.15, 0.37), respectively, compared to socioeconomic status level two. The corresponding proportions mediated are 12% (95% CI - 6, 41), 30% (95% CI 16, 54), and 20% (95% CI 12, 32). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, pupils' physical fitness partially mediated the pathway between family socioeconomic status and academic achievement.
INTRODUCTION: Family socioeconomic status influences pupils' academic achievements, and studies have established positive associations between physical fitness and academic achievements. However, whether physical fitness mediates the relationship remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: We investigated if pupils' physical fitness mediates the pathway between family socioeconomic status and academic achievement using causal inference-based mediation analysis. METHODS: This study included 527 girls and 552 boys between 13 and 15 years of age from the Danish municipality of Aalborg. Physical fitness was measured through VO2max tests in 2010 and demographic data were obtained from nationwide registers. Family socioeconomic status was classified into four levels ranging from 1 to 4, where level 1 represents the lowest and level 4 the highest based on either family income or education. RESULTS: Controlling for sex, ethnicity, age, and parents' cohabitation status, all total effects display higher academic achievement with increased family socioeconomic status. Splitting the effects, the direct effects reveal the existence of other pathways not involving physical fitness. The indirect effects established physical fitness as a mediator showing that pupils from family socioeconomic status levels one, three, and four changes grade by - 0.13 [95% confidence interval (CI) - 0.26, - 0.01], 0.07 (95% CI 0.00, 0.14), and 0.24 (95% CI 0.14, 0.34), respectively, compared to socioeconomic status level two. The corresponding proportions mediated are 18% (95% CI 1, 57), 6% (95 CI 0, 13), and 12% (95% CI 7, 18) when family socioeconomic status is based on education. Classifying family socioeconomic status on income, pupils from family socioeconomic status levels one, three, and four show grade changes of - 0.07 (95% CI - 0.16, 0.02), 0.22 (95% CI 0.13, 0.32), and 0.26 (95% CI 0.15, 0.37), respectively, compared to socioeconomic status level two. The corresponding proportions mediated are 12% (95% CI - 6, 41), 30% (95% CI 16, 54), and 20% (95% CI 12, 32). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, pupils' physical fitness partially mediated the pathway between family socioeconomic status and academic achievement.
Authors: Virginia R Chomitz; Meghan M Slining; Robert J McGowan; Suzanne E Mitchell; Glen F Dawson; Karen A Hacker Journal: J Sch Health Date: 2009-01 Impact factor: 2.118
Authors: Patricio Solis-Urra; Julio Plaza-Diaz; Ana Isabel Álvarez-Mercado; Fernando Rodríguez-Rodríguez; Carlos Cristi-Montero; Juan Pablo Zavala-Crichton; Jorge Olivares-Arancibia; Javier Sanchez-Martinez; Francisco Abadía-Molina Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-04-11 Impact factor: 3.390