Benefits of After-School Sports: A Global Analysis of Pediatric Physical Health and Cognitive Function

ABSTRACT Introduction The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of after-school sports and physical activity (PA) participation on brain health between samples matched on socioeconomic and demographic factors. Methods Data were obtained from the Child Mind Institute Healthy Brain Network’s protocol. Participants completed four lab assessment days to collect a battery of data on youth mental health, cognitive health, and physical health. Children aged 6–16 yr were included in the analyses and grouped based on their participation in sports/PA outside of school time. Independent-samples t -tests (sports n = 391; non-sports n = 391; age 9.41 ± 2.38 yr) were done on academic achievement, cognitive function, mental health, and physical health (fitness, body composition, PA, muscular strength, and flexibility) outcomes. Groups were matched on age, sex, race, ethnicity, puberty, socioeconomic status, and intelligence quotient (IQ). Results Significant between-group brain health differences were observed for executive function skills (sports: 51.38% ± 28.94%, non-sports: 45.24% ± 28.10%; P = 0.03), processing speed (sports: 50.83% ± 27.80%, non-sports: 46.13% ± 27.48%; P = 0.02), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms (sports: 0.21 ± 0.97, non-sports: 0.37 ± 0.97; P = 0.02), attentional problems (sports: 59.71 ± 8.78, non-sports: 61.49 ± 9.28; P = 0.006), social awareness skills (sports: 56.52 ± 10.78, non-sports: 53.69 ± 9.95; P = 0.01), and language comprehension skills (sports: 64.07% ± 27.66%, non-sports: 59.80% ± 28.44%; P = 0.03) in favor of children in the sports group. Children who participated in sports also demonstrated greater physical health indexed by daily energy expenditure (sports: 1950.15 ± 476.09 calories, non-sports: 1800.84 ± 469.22 calories; P = 0.04), PA (sports: 2.81 ± 0.79, non-sports: 2.59 ± 0.74; P = 0.002), z -scored fitness (sports: 0.16 ± 1.05, non-sports: −0.08 ± 1.04; P = 0.02), resting heart rate (sports: 79.26 ± 12.16 bpm, non-sports: 81.36 ± 12.94 bpm; P = 0.02), muscular strength in the trunk lift (sports: 9.40 ± 2.77 inches, non-sports: 8.91 ± 2.82 inches; P = 0.01), and flexibility in the sit and reach (sports: 9.33 ± 2.93 inches, non-sports: 8.74 ± 3.15 inches; P = 0.007). Conclusion When controlling for important demographic factors (age, sex, race/ethnicity, puberty, IQ, and socioeconomic status), children who participated in after-school sports and PA showed better results on several physical, cognitive, and mental health outcomes compared to their peers.