| Authors |
Majauskienė, Daiva ; Aukštikalnis, Tomas ; Istomina, Natalja ; Valančienė, Dovilė ; Dadelienė, Rūta ; Šidlauskienė, Aurelija ; Strazdaitė, Emilija ; Žilinskienė, Ramunė ; Gintilienė, Milda ; Šarkauskienė, Asta ; Skurvydas, Albertas |
| Abstract [eng] |
There is a lack of evidence regarding the relationship between students’ academic achievements in various secondary school (gymnasium) subjects and factors such as sports participation, physical activity, sedentary behavior, physical health indicators, mental health indicators, sleep quality, eating habits, smoking, alcohol consumption, and the frequency of consuming healthy and unhealthy foods. The aim of our study was to address this research gap by examining how final secondary school (gymnasium) exam scores in Mathematics, Native Languages, Foreign Languages, and Biology are associated with healthy lifestyle habits, mental health, and physical health. This cross-sectional and retrospective study included 397 undergraduate students, aged 19 to 24 years, from three universities in Lithuania. We evaluated various health and lifestyle factors among students, including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and systolic blood pressure. Additionally, we assessed their levels of physical activity and sedentary behavior, as well as sleep quality, perceived stress, and symptoms of depression. We also measured indicators of well-being, such as vigor and happiness, and examined their habits regarding alcohol consumption, smoking, breakfast consumption, and overeating. Finally, we looked at the frequency of their consumption of both healthy and unhealthy food products. We collected data on students’ academic achievements in their final exams for Mathematics, Native Language, Foreign Languages, and Biology based on standardized national secondary school (gymnasium) graduation examinations. General linear modeling (GLM) indicated that moderate to vigorous physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep quality did not significantly associate with academic achievement in secondary school (gymnasium) graduation examinations. Mathematics exam performance from secondary school (gymnasium) was most significantly associated with lower sugar consumption in coffee or tea and non-smoking habits during the first two years of university education. In Native Language tests, females generally outperformed males, and their performance was linked to higher levels of happiness at the entrance to university studies. Conversely, in Foreign Language exams, males outperformed females, and their performance was also associated with abstaining from alcohol and consuming fewer boiled potatoes during the entrance years of university. For Biology exam performance, there was a positive correlation with the consumption of fresh and canned vegetables, lower sugar intake in coffee or tea, and more frequent breakfast consumption. Our findings indicated that factors such as physical activity, sedentary behavior, sleep quality, and most psychological aspects measured at the time of university entry—except for happiness—were not consistently linked to academic performance as reflected in final secondary school (gymnasium) graduation examinations. Instead, the exam results showed modest but systematic relationships with specific health-related factors assessed during university entry. These factors include body composition, dietary habits, and lifestyle behaviors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and breakfast patterns. Additionally, we observed significant gender differences in these associations. These findings do not imply causality, but suggest that lifestyle and psychological characteristics at the start of university may be linked to prior academic achievement patterns. |
