AJPESH ACPES JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION SPORT AND HEALTH AJPESH 3 (1) (2023): 26-33 e-ISSN 2797-0426 ACPES Journal of Physical Education, Sport, and Health http://journal.unnes.ac.id/sju/index.php/ajpesh 26 The Influence of Physical Activity on Academic Performance Among Students-Athletes: A Case in a Secondary Public School Najihah binti Mohd Amin * , Mawarni Binti Mohamed, Ani Mazlina Dewi Mohamed Fakulti Pendidikan, Universitas Teknologi MARA, Malaysia *Corresponding Author: najihahamin98@gmail.com Submitted: 2023-02-18. Revised: 2023-05-19. Accepted: 2023-06-29 Abstract. It is a common expectation that bookworm students can perform well and contribute more towards enhancement in academic performance instead of physically active student or best known as sport students. Thus, this study seeks to measure the level of physical activity and explore academic achievement, as well as to examine if there is a relationship between physically active students and academic achievement among student-athletes in a public secondary school in Kedah. Survey method was employed using a set of questionnaires. Purposive sampling method was used to gather information from 22 selected students-athletes involving 8 classes from various sports backgrounds. Results indicated that the associations of physical activity and fitness with cognitive function are relatively few but generally showed a positive association between physical activity and cognitive function of students. Key words: physical activity ; academic performance ; students-athletes ; secondary school How to Cite: Amin, N. M., Mohamed, M., & Mohamed, A. M. D. (2023). The Influence of Physical Activity on Academic Performance Among Students-Athletes: A Case in a Secondary Public School. ACPES Journal of Physical Education, Sport, and Health, 3(1), 26-33. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15294/ajpesh.v3i1.70291 INTRODUCTION Physical activity (PA) and exercise are often used interchangeably. Physical activity is characterized as any real development created by the compression of skeletal muscles and can occur in short bursts of low to high intensity or long, sustained periods of lower intensity, depending on the types of activities. Exercise, on the other hand is a specific form of physical activity that is structured and repetitive, with the goal of improving or maintaining physical fitness, function, or health (Dishman, R. K., et all, 2006). Physical activity brings numerous benefits in both physically and mental. World Health Organization (2020) emphasises on the significant health benefits for the for hearts, bodies and minds in which exercise helps to enhance thinking, learning, and judgment skills. Physical inactivity is associated with numerous health risks, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, hypertension, as well as anxiety and depression (Kohl & Cook, 2013). People who are insufficiently active have a 20% to 30% increased risk of death compared to people who are sufficiently active (WHO 2020). There was various research that measure academic performances and physical activities. The associations of physical activity and fitness with cognitive function are relatively few but generally show a positive association between physical activity and cognitive function of students. Involving in regular exercise and on more aerobic fitness are related to greater brain volume, improved neurophysiological responses to stimuli as measured by EEG (electroencephalography), and better levels of growth factors that promote growth of brain tissue, neurogenesis, and angiogenesis (Zoeller R.F. 2010). Another study also suggested from their finding that physical fitness levels of students were strongly and significantly related to academic achievement regardless of other socio-demographic and physical fitness variables and seems too high in late middle to early high school. (Trost 2009) and (Rauner, et all 2013) also conclude that from their study aerobic fitness was a significant predictor of academic performance. Thus, this study aims to see the relationship between physical activity involvements and academic performances among students-athletes in a school in Malaysia.