Physical Activity and Its Relation To Academic Performance Among University Students
Physical Activity and Its Relation To Academic Performance Among University Students
Physical Activity and Its Relation To Academic Performance Among University Students
1 Introduction
Any movement produced by the contraction of skeletal muscles that causes an increase
in energy expenditure beyond the basal level is referred to as physical activity (PA).
(Muntaner-Mas et al., 2022; Piggin, 2020). World Health Organization (WHO) (2020)
recommends adults aged between 18 and 64 to participate in 75–150 min of moderate
to vigorous intensity of physical activity (MVPA) throughout the week. The duration
of PA can be increased up to 300 and 150 min in a week for additional health benefits.
On top of that, US Department of Health and Human Services (2018) adds that adults
should also engage in any muscle-strengthening activities that involve major muscle
groups for at least two or more days in their weekly repertoire. Previous studies have
been documented the health benefits of physical activity over the life span (Muntaner-
Mas et al., 2022), such as reducing risk for non-communicable diseases including type 2
diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, and some cancers (Asigbee
et al., 2018; F. W. Booth et al., 2012; Elmagd, 2016). Additional health benefits of PA
include maintaining healthy bodyweight (Chaput et al., 2011), boosting mood and mental
health (Ai et al., 2021), as well as improving muscle and bone strength that prevent falls
and improves ability to run daily life activities (Asigbee et al., 2018). Regular physical
activity is also associated with a healthier and longer life, thus it could affect quality of
life and increase life expectancy (Reimers et al., 2012).
With those all health benefits, promoting physical activity has been a global health
priority (Vuori, 2018) as almost one-third of the world’s population failed to meet the
recommended physical activity (González et al., 2017). In Indonesia, about one in three
people aged ten years or more are physically inactive (Sitohang & Ghani, 2021). These
age groups include university or college students, who are prone to practice sedentarism
and physical inactivity (Small et al., 2013). Recent survey showed that about 50% of
the adults aged 18–24 including those who graduated from university failed to meet the
WHO’s physical activity guideline (Choi et al., 2021). Previous studies over the last
two decades reported that one of three college students tend to become more physically
inactive throughout their college years (Huang et al., 2003; Kolodinsky et al., 2007).
Several reasons that might explain the findings are due to rapid technology development
(Ráthonyi et al., 2021), lack of motivation (Eichorn et al., 2018), and academic pressures
(Hakim et al., 2020). Students often do not have time to do physical activities or any
kind of sport because they are busy with lectures and assignments (Supriyanto et al.,
2021). This situation is worsen by the fact that many universities in Indonesia do not
provide sport facilities or even sport courses to their students, unlike in school level
where students can learn and get to play sport for 120 min every week (Sunadi et al.,
2016). In addition to that, the transition from senior high school to university can be
very stressful for many, and students’ beliefs about their fate during this transition can
become a source of stress.
The aforementioned situation is very unfortunate, as a growing finding states that
physical activity has been positively affected academic and cognitive performance
(Álvarez-Bueno et al., 2017). The benefits of physical activity in increasing cognitive
function and learning indicate the potential effect of PA to improve academic achieve-
ment in children and adolescents (Bueno et al., 2021). Previous observational studies that
investigated the association between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA)
and academic performance in adolescents have found various results, range from pos-
itive (Maher et al., 2016), null (Domazet et al., 2016; Syväoja et al., 2018), and even
inverse associations (Dijk et al., 2014) between the two.
714 A. Hariyanto et al.
Many literatures investigate the relationship between physical activities and cogni-
tive function or academic performance among populations such as adolescents, adults,
and older groups (Langford et al., 2014). Studies conducted on youth and adolescents
are extensive, although they may not be extrapolated to the college population. Despite
a large number of evidences during other life stages, there is limited research examining
how PA and academic performance relate to each other during college years. On top
of that, study about physical activity of university students is quite interesting, as pre-
viously mentioned that physical education is no longer a compulsory course at tertiary
level as it is in primary or secondary school in Indonesia. Thus, we conduct this study
to investigate the association between physical activity and academic performance in
university students.
2 Research Method
It was a descriptive study with cross-sectional design. Participants of this study were
undergraduate students in year one to four, recruited using convenient sample method.
Participants who belong to specific age range (between 18 and 22 years) were invited to
participate in this study by completing an online self-administered questionnaire. The
survey was distributed after they finished final semester exam. Each participant was
provided with a brief written explanation about the detailed nature of this study before
filling the survey. They were also assured of the confidentiality of their responses. A
total of 377 respondents were completing self-reported survey.
The first part of the survey was a questionnaire that assessed baseline character-
istic. The baseline information we gathered including age, gender, year in university,
place of origin, living arrangement, financial education source, parent’s education and
educational status, sleep duration, screen time, and frequency of exercise.
The validated International Physical Activity Questionnaire’s condensed version
was used to measure the amount of physical activity (IPAQ-SF). Without any changes,
the questionnaire was translated into Indonesian. The next step was to ask respondents
to estimate how much time (in days per week and minutes per day) they had spent
over the previous seven days engaging in various kinds of physical activity (walking,
moderate, vigorous, and sitting/leisure activities). The total amount of physical activity
was measured using metabolic equivalent tasks (METs), which were measured in weekly
minutes. The MET-min/week is the sum of minutes spent on activities at different levels
of walking, moderate, vigorous, and sitting within the last 7 days that is multiplied by
8.0, 4.0, and 3.3, 1.0, respectively.
This study’s dependent variable was academic achievement. The previous semester’s
Grade Point Average (GPA) was used to evaluate it. The faculty’s academic office pro-
vided the weighted averages of the course grades for this particular semester, which
were used to calculate GPA. The GPA was calculated using a 4.00 scale, with each study
course receiving a grade value between 0 and 4 based on the grade given for the subject.
Each grade was multiplied by the number of credits in each course, and the resulting
figures were then added together. The total number of credit points each student earned
over the semester was divided by the sum of the values.
All variables were presented using descriptive statistics in terms of mean, standard
deviation, frequency, and percentages. In addition to descriptive statistics, follow-up
Physical Activity and Its Relation to Academic Performance 715
studies were carried out to examine any significant differences between groups using
independent t-tests, Mann-Whitney tests, and one-way ANOVA. The correlation between
the measured variables was examined using the Pearson Correlation, Spearman Rank
test, and Chi-Square. A P-value of 0.05 or less was regarded as statistically significant.
SPSS 26 for Windows was used for all statistical analysis.
4 Conclusion
This cross-sectional study demonstrates a link between academic achievement and phys-
ical exercise among university students. To examine confounding factors of socio-
demographic traits including gender, age, parental circumstances, and health-related
behavior, larger sample sizes across different majors or universities are required. Future
longitudinal analyzes could investigate with greater precision whether increased physical
activity could really improve cognition and academic performance of students.
Acknowledgments. The authors thank Universitas Negeri Surabaya who has supported this study.
References
Abuya, B. A., Mumah, J., Austrian, K., Mutisya, M., & Kabiru, C. (2018). Mothers’ education
and girls’ achievement in Kibera: The link with self-efficacy. SAGE Open, 8(1). https://doi.org/
10.1177/2158244018765608
Physical Activity and Its Relation to Academic Performance 717
Ai, X., Yang, J., Lin, Z., & Wan, X. (2021). Mental Health and the Role of Physical Activity
During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.
2021.759987
Álvarez-Bueno, C., Pesce, C., Cavero-Redondo, I., Sánchez-López, M., Garrido-Miguel, M., &
Martínez-Vizcaíno, V. (2017). Academic Achievement and Physical Activity: A Meta-analysis.
Pediatrics, 140(6), e20171498. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2017-1498
Arslan, S., & Akkas, O. A. (2013). Quality of College Life (QCL) of Students in Turkey: Students’
Life Satisfaction and Identification. Soc. Indic. Res, 115, 869–884.
Asigbee, F. M., Whitney, S. D., & Peterson, C. E. (2018). The Link Between Nutrition and Physical
Activity in Increasing Academic Achievement. The Journal of School Health, 88(6), 407–415.
https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12625
Bakouei, F., Omidvar, S., Seyediandi, S. J., & Bakouei, S. (2019). Are healthy lifestyle behaviors
positively associated with the academic achievement of the university students? Journal of
Advances in Medical Education & Professionalism, 7(4), 224–229. https://doi.org/10.30476/
jamp.2019.74888
Barrera, M., Biglan, A., Ary, D., & Li, F. (2001). Replication of a problem behavior model
with American Indian, Hispanic, and Caucasian youth. Journal of Early Adolescence, 21(2),
133–157. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272431601021002001
Booth, F. W., Roberts, C. K., & Laye, M. J. (2012). Lack of exercise is a major cause of chronic
diseases. Comprehensive Physiology, 2(2), 1143–1211. https://doi.org/10.1002/cphy.c110025
Bueno, M. R. de O., Zambrin, L. F., Panchoni, C., Werneck, A. O., Fernandes, R. A., Serassuelo, H.,
Romanzini, M., & Ronque, E. R. V. (2021). Association Between Device-Measured Moderate-
to-Vigorous Physical Activity and Academic Performance in Adolescents. Health Education &
Behavior: The Official Publication of the Society for Public Health Education, 48(1), 54–62.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198120954390
Chaput, J.-P., Klingenberg, L., Rosenkilde, M., Gilbert, J.-A., Tremblay, A., & Sjödin, A. (2011).
Physical activity plays an important role in body weight regulation. Journal of Obesity, 2011,
360257. https://doi.org/10.1155/2011/360257
Choi, S. M., Sum, K. W. R., Leung, F. L. E., Ha, S. C. A., Sit, C., & Yeung, K. H. (2021). Predictors
of Physical Activity Levels in University Physical Education Implementing Sport Education.
Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 20(3), 516–524. https://doi.org/10.52082/jssm.2021.516
Deliens, T., Clarys, P., Bourdeaudhuij, I. De, & Deforche, B. (2013). Weight, socio-demographics,
and health behaviour related correlates of academic performance in first year university students.
Nutrition Journal, 12(1), 162. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-12-162
Dijk, M. L. V., Groot, R. H. M. D., Savelberg, H. H. C. M., Acker, F. V., & Kirschner, P. A. (2014).
The Association Between Objectively Measured Physical Activity and Academic Achieve-
ment in Dutch Adolescents: Findings From the GOALS Study. Journal of Sport and Exercise
Psychology, 36(5), 460–473. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2014-0014
Domazet, S. L., Tarp, J., Huang, T., Gejl, A. K., Andersen, L. B., Froberg, K., & Bugge, A. (2016).
Associations of Physical Activity, Sports Participation and Active Commuting on Mathematic
Performance and Inhibitory Control in Adolescents. PLOS ONE, 11(1), e0146319. https://doi.
org/10.1371/journal.pone.0146319
Eichorn, L., Bruner, K., Short, T., & Abraham, S. P. (2018). Factors That Affect Exercise Habits of
College Students. Journal of Education and Development, 2(1), 20. https://doi.org/10.20849/
jed.v2i1.327
Elmagd, M. A. (2016). Benefits, need and importance of daily exercise. International Journal of
Physical Education, Sports and Health, 3(5), 22–27.
Gomez-Pinilla, F., & Hillman, C. (2013). The influence of exercise on cognitive abilities.
Comprehensive Physiology, 3(1), 403–428. https://doi.org/10.1002/cphy.c110063
718 A. Hariyanto et al.
González, K., Fuentes, J., & Márquez, J. L. (2017). Physical Inactivity, Sedentary Behavior and
Chronic Diseases. Korean Journal of Family Medicine, 38(3), 111–115. https://doi.org/10.4082/
kjfm.2017.38.3.111
Hakim, A. R., Wang, S.-T., Widiantoro, F. X., Hannan, M., Wang, C.-J., & Fetzer, S. J. (2020).
The Indonesian Version of the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale: Cross-cultural Adaptation and
Psychometric Testing. Asian Nursing Research, 14(5), 300–305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anr.
2020.08.008
Hillman, C. H., Erickson, K. I., & Kramer, A. F. (2008). Be smart, exercise your heart: Exercise
effects on brain and cognition. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 9(1), 58–65. https://doi.org/10.
1038/nrn2298
Howie, E. K., & Pate, R. R. (2012). Physical activity and academic achievement in children: A
historical perspective. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 1(3), 160–169. https://doi.org/10.
1016/j.jshs.2012.09.003
Huang, T. T. K., Harris, K. J., Lee, R. E., Nazir, N., Born, W., & Kaur, H. (2003). Assessing
overweight, obesity, diet, and physical activity in college students. Journal of American College
Health: J of ACH, 52(2), 83–86. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448480309595728
Kolodinsky, J., Harvey-Berino, J. R., Berlin, L., Johnson, R. K., & Reynolds, T. W. (2007).
Knowledge of current dietary guidelines and food choice by college students: Better eaters
have higher knowledge of dietary guidance. Journal of the American Dietetic Association,
107(8), 1409–1413. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2007.05.016
Langford, R., Bonell, C. P., Pouliou, T., Murphy, S. M., & Waters, E. (2014). The WHO Health
Promoting School framework for improving the health and well-being of students and their
academic achievement. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 16(4). https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.
CD008958.pub2
Maher, C., Lewis, L., Katzmarzyk, P. T., Dumuid, D., Cassidy, L., & Olds, T. (2016). The asso-
ciations between physical activity, sedentary behaviour and academic performance. Journal
of Science and Medicine in Sport, 19(12), 1004–1009. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2016.
02.010
Muntaner-Mas, A., Mazzoli, E., Abbott, G., Mavilidi, M. F., & Galmes-Panades, A. M. (2022). Do
Physical Fitness and Executive Function Mediate the Relationship between Physical Activity
and Academic Achievement? An Examination Using Structural Equation Modelling. Children,
9(6), 823. https://doi.org/10.3390/children9060823
Piggin, J. (2020). What Is Physical Activity? A Holistic Definition for Teachers, Researchers and
Policy Makers. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 2, 72. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2020.
00072
Ráthonyi, G., Kósa, K., Bács, Z., Ráthonyi-Ódor, K., Füzesi, I., Lengyel, P., & Bácsné Bába, É.
(2021). Changes in Workers’ Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior during the COVID-19
Pandemic. Sustainability, 13(17), 9524. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179524
Reimers, C. D., Knapp, G., & Reimers, A. K. (2012). Does Physical Activity Increase Life
Expectancy? A Review of the Literature. Journal of Aging Research, 2012, 243958. https://
doi.org/10.1155/2012/243958
Richardson, M., Abraham, C., & Bond, R. (2012). Psychological correlates of university students’
academic performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 138(2),
353–387. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026838
Severiens, S., & ten Dam, G. (2012). Leaving college: A gender comparison in male and female-
dominated programs. Research in Higher Education, 53(4), 453–470. https://doi.org/10.1007/
s11162-011-9237-0
Sheard, M. (2009). Hardiness commitment, gender, and age differentiate university academic
performance. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 79(1), 189–204. https://doi.org/10.
1348/000709908X304406
Physical Activity and Its Relation to Academic Performance 719
Singh, A., Uijtdewilligen, L., Twisk, J. W. R., van Mechelen, W., & Chinapaw, M. J. M. (2012).
Physical activity and performance at school: A systematic review of the literature including
a methodological quality assessment. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 166(1),
49–55. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpediatrics.2011.716
Sitohang, M. Y., & Ghani, M. W. (2021). The Changing of Physical Activities during the COVID-
19 Pandemic: Do Indonesian People Exercise More? Medical Sciences Forum, 4(1), 26. https://
doi.org/10.3390/ECERPH-3-09090
Slavinsky, T., Bjelica, D., Pavlovic, D., & Vukmirovic, V. (2021). Academic Performance
and Physical Activities as Positive Factors for Life Satisfaction among University Students.
Sustainability, 13, 497–514. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13020497
Small, M., Bailey-Davis, L., Morgan, N., & Maggs, J. (2013). Changes in Eating and Physical
Activity Behaviors Across Seven Semesters of College: Living On or Off Campus Matters.
Health Education & Behavior : The Official Publication of the Society for Public Health
Education, 40(4), 435–441. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198112467801
Sunadi, D., Soemarji, A. A., Apriantono, T., & Wirastusina, K. R. (2016). A study of the rela-
tionship between physical fitness and health profile to academic achievement. International
Journal of Physical Education, Sports and Health, 3(1), 213–218.
Supriyanto, N. A., Rasyid, A., Fepriyanto, A., & Helaprahara, D. (2021). Hubungan Aktivitas
Fisik Terhadap Kebugaran Jasmani Dan Prestasi Akademik Mahasiswa STKIP PGRI Sumenep.
Jurnal Sains Keolahragaan dan Kesehatan, 6(2), 131–140. https://doi.org/10.5614/jskk.2021.
6.2.3
Syväoja, H. J., Kankaanpää, A., Kallio, J., Hakonen, H., Kulmala, J., Hillman, C. H., Pesonen,
A.-K., & Tammelin, T. H. (2018). The Relation of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviors, and
Academic Achievement Is Mediated by Fitness and Bedtime. Journal of Physical Activity and
Health, 15(2), 135–143. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2017-0135
Tan, C. Y., Pan, Q., Zhang, Y., Lan, M., & Law, N. (2022). Parental Home Monitoring and
Support and Students’ Online Learning and Socioemotional Well-Being During COVID-19
School Suspension in Hong Kong. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.
2022.916338
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2018). Physical Activity Guidelines for
Americans, 2nd edition. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Vuori, I. (2018). World Health Organization and Physical Activity. Progress in Preventive
Medicine, 3(1), e0012. https://doi.org/10.1097/pp9.0000000000000012
WHO. (2020). Physical activity. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-act
ivity
Workman, J., & Heyder, A. (2020). Gender achievement gaps: The role of social costs to trying
hard in high school. Social Psychology of Education, 23(6), 1407–1427. https://doi.org/10.
1007/s11218-020-09588-6
Wunsch, K., Fiedler, J., Bachert, P., & Woll, A. (2021). The Tridirectional Relationship among
Physical Activity, Stress, and Academic Performance in University Students: A Systematic
Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public
Health, 18(2), 739–745. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020739
720 A. Hariyanto et al.
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-
NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/),
which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any
medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source,
provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.
The images or other third party material in this chapter are included in the chapter’s Creative
Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not
included in the chapter’s Creative Commons license and your intended use is not permitted by
statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from
the copyright holder.