A Mini Review on Association between Physical Activity and Academic Performance among University Students

Academic Performance (AP) in higher education is a significant factor. It is very important to evaluate the factors that influence AP. In this review, we aimed to summarize the results from published articles in recent years about the correlation between Physical Activity (PA) and AP among university students. This review was done in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A literature search was conducted using the PubMed, Google Scholar, and PEDro databases. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria and final screening, 11 studies were selected to include in the review. Physical Activity was measured by self-administered questionnaires in most studies, and AP was graded mostly using Grade Point Average (GPA). Few studies that were identified in this review revealed that PA had a positive influence on AP. Findings from studies have shown that PA has a positive correlation with AP. There is also evidence that PA is reduced among university students due to various factors. Hence, more longitudinal and interventional studies are needed to assess this relationship and to encourage involvement in PA among university students.