Background/Purpose: Academic achievement is associated with physical fitness (Castelli et al., 2007) and physical activity (Hillman et al., 2009), yet little is known about how time in the target heart zone (THZ) is related to cognitive performance. The purpose of this study was to compare time in the THZ with physical fitness (VO2max) and cognitive tasks (Stroop, WRAT) over 30-weeks.
Method: FIT Kids, a physical activity intervention offering more than 60-mins of MVPA each weekday (Hirsch et al., 2010a), enrolled twenty-two children (Male = 11; Mean age = 8.84, SD=.49 ). Once a week children wore Polar heart rate monitors. The THZ was established using a child's maximal heart rate achieved through maximal grade exercise testing.
Analysis/Results: Data were reduced by lesson to mean heart rate, time above-, time in-, and time-below the THZ and compared to an extensive pre/post battery of physical and cognitive tests. Participants spent an average of 55.05% (SD=11.05) in the THZ and another 15.50% (SD=9.60) above the THZ, averaging 127.60 bpm (SD=7.91). Time in the THZ was correlated with maximal heart rate (r=.776, p<.000) and VO2 max (r=.402, p=.071). Performance in mathematics was significantly associated with mean heart rate (r=.55, p<.011) and time in THZ (r=.50, p<.026).
Conclusions: These data suggest that there may be an association between the regularity of time spent in the THZ and performance in mathematics. School-aged children can spend substantial time in the THZ during physical activity.