Physical fitness and emotional well-being in school children aged 7 to 12 years

The increase in the prevalence of behaviors and disorders severely affecting children's emotional well-being is a fact. The causal relationship between fitness and biological health is well established. However, the relationship between fitness and some dimensions of psychological health is less evident. The aim of this paper was to analyze the relationship between fitness and emotional well-being. The ALPHA-fitness Battery was used to assess fitness, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, to assess emotional well-being. A convenience sample of 212 school children (120 women) aged 7-12 years was used. An inferential study was carried out by means of covariance analysis adjusted by age. The results showed that those children with higher fitness (X = P 50) had more positive values in behavior problems (p = 0,002), hyperactivity (p < 0,001), problems with partners (p = 0,028), prosocial behavior (p < 0,001) and total score of difficulties (p = 0,029). Students with a lower level of total difficulties score (X < P-40) had a better performance in 4 x 10m (p = 0,010), manual dynamometry (p = 0,050), Course-Navette (p = 0,050) and general fitness (p = 0,040) with respect to those with medium and high levels. These results suggest a positive and bidirectional relationship between fitness and emotional well-being in primary school children. Therefore, it reinforces the need to promote programs to improve health related fitness and assess their effect on the psychological abilities of school children.