Effects of physical activity and breaks on mathematics engagement in adolescents

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine whether physical activity has a positive relationship with school engagement regardless of the presence or absence of a recess or lunch break before the classroom lesson. Design: Data were collected over three ten-week periods: January-April 2014 (Time 1), October-December 2014 (Time 2), and April June 2015 (Time 3). Methods: A cohort of 2194 adolescents (mean age = 13.40 years, SD=.73) wore an accelerometer during the hour before a mathematics lesson and completed a questionnaire following the mathematics lesson to assess school engagement in that lesson. Results: Linear mixed models indicated that moderate-intensity activity before a mathematics lesson had a positive linear relationship with cognitive engagement (beta=.40, p<.05). Recess breaks before a mathematics lesson had a negative relationship with overall, behavioural, emotional, and cognitive engagement (beta=-.18, p<.01 beta=.19, p<.01, p=.13, p=.03, and beta=.13, p=.04, respectively). Conclusions: Promoting moderate-intensity activity prior to mathematics lessons could improve students' cognitive engagement. Educators should be aware that students tend to demonstrate the lowest levels of school engagement after recess breaks. Crown Copyright (C) 2017 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Sports Medicine Australia. All rights reserved.