The influence of physical, psychological and sociocultural factors on cognitive performance: A nationwide cross-sectional analysis in 10-12-year-old Danish children

OBJECTIVE: To assess the associations between exercise capacity, body composition, demographic characteristics, well-being dimensions, and leisure-time sports background with cognitive performance in children aged 10-12 years.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 2470 Danish schoolchildren aged 10-12. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Cogstate Brief Battery, measuring psychomotor function, attention, working memory, and visual learning. Exercise capacity was evaluated using the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Level 1 Children's Test (YYIR1C). Body composition, including BMI, fat percentage, and muscle mass percentage, was assessed with bioelectrical impedance analysis. Well-being was measured using a modified KIDSCREEN-27 questionnaire, and demographic characteristics and leisure-time sports background data were collected via self-reports. Linear mixed regression models were applied, adjusting for school-class as a random effect.

RESULTS: Higher exercise capacity was significantly associated with better cognitive performance across all domains (p < 0.05). Boys exhibited faster reaction times in psychomotor function, attention, and working memory tasks (p < 0.001), while no sex differences were observed in visual learning (p = 0.684). School well-being positively correlated with attention and working memory performance, but no associations were found with other well-being dimensions. Body composition (BMI, fat percentage, muscle mass) and leisure-time sports background were not associated with cognitive performance.

CONCLUSIONS: Exercise capacity, but not body composition or sports participation, emerged as a key predictor of cognitive performance. These findings suggest that cardiorespiratory fitness, rather than body composition or sports background, is a general predictor of cognitive performance in children. School well-being and sex also influenced cognitive test performance, highlighting the importance of considering both physical and psychological factors.