Influence of Physical Activity, SES`, Perceived Safety, and Demographic Factors on the GPA of Latinx Students: Results from the High School Longitudinal Study

Abstract

Physical Activity is an important contributor to health, both physical and cognitive. The relationship between physical activity and educational outcomes has been explored in various venues. Little research, however, has interrogated this subject longitudinally, especially for a national sample of Latinx students. To make up that gap, this paper employs data from the High School Longitudinal Study (HSLS), hierarchical regression modeling, and intersectionality theory to study and evaluate the relative impact of Extracurricular Activities, School Attitudes, and impact of demographics on Personal Health and Physical Education Grade Point Average (GPA); the participants were 1,829 Latinx high school students. The High School Longitudinal Study is a nationally representative, longitudinal study of ninth graders followed through their secondary and postsecondary years. Further, we examined the results separately for male and female Latinx students, to achieve a better understanding of physical activity and academic achievement from the female perspective. Our findings reinforce the importance of participating in sports and extracurricular activities in fostering positive educational outcomes for Latinx students, male, and female, nationally. Finally, recommendations are offered to parents, community leaders, teachers, school administrators, and policymakers regarding implementation strategies to optimize the benefits of Physical Activity to Latinx students.