Physical Activity and School Absenteeism Due to Illness in Adolescents

Journal Article · Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2017 · Journal of School Health

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12542· OSTI ID:1401311

de Groot, Renate ^[1]; van Dijk, Martin ^[2]; Savelberg, Hans ^[3]; van Acker, Frederik ^[4]; Kirschner, Paul ^[4]

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1. Welten Institute, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Open University of the Netherlands, Valkenburgerweg 177 6419 AT Heerlen the Netherlands, Department of Complex Genetics, School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism (NUTRIM) Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht the Netherlands
2. Welten Institute, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Open University of the Netherlands, Valkenburgerweg 177 6419 AT Heerlen the Netherlands, School of Sport Studies Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Theo Koomenlaan 3 5644 HZ Eindhoven the Netherlands
3. Department of Human Movement Sciences Maastricht University, PO Box 616 6200 MD Maastricht the Netherlands
4. Welten Institute, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Open University of the Netherlands, Valkenburgerweg 177 6419 AT Heerlen the Netherlands

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Knowledge about the beneficial role of physical activity (PA) for health and school performance is growing. Studies investigating the link between PA and school absenteeism due to illness are lacking. Therefore, we investigated associations between habitual PA and school absenteeism due to illness in adolescents and explored whether mental health and cardiovascular fitness mediated this association. METHODS We studied 328 students in grades 7 and 9 (mean age 13.8 years; 49% boys). The PA was measured objectively by an ActivPAL3™ accelerometer attached on the thigh during 1 full week (24 hours/day). Depressive symptoms and self‐esteem were self‐reported by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES‐D) and Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale, respectively, and included as a proxy for mental health in the analyses. Cardiovascular fitness was measured by the 20‐m shuttle‐run test. School absenteeism due to illness data was provided by the school administration. RESULTS The PA was not significantly associated with school absenteeism, though there was an indirect association between PA and school absenteeism by cardiovascular fitness. CONCLUSIONS Cardiovascular fitness mediates the association between PA and school absenteeism due to illness. Thus, cardiovascular fitness of students should be improved to reduce school absenteeism due to illness.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 1401311
• Journal Information: Journal of School Health, Journal Name: Journal of School Health Vol. 87 Journal Issue: 9; ISSN 0022-4391
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English