Being physically fit could have a positive impact on the academic performance of children, teenagers and adolescents, according to a new study published in the Journal of Pediatrics.

Conducted by researchers at the University of Madrid, the study provides further weight to a growing body of evidence suggesting that exercise and physical activity can have a beneficial impact on both body and mind.

As part of the study, experts asked over 2,000 children and adolescents between the ages of six and 18 years to fill in a questionnaire about their physical fitness, body composition and academic performance.

The three key areas the researchers observed were related to cardio respiratory capacity, muscular strength and motor ability, with all of these known to have different impacts on the brain and its functions.

The results showed that cardio respiratory capacity and motor ability impacted academic performance, whereas muscular strength played no part in influencing results.

The researchers discovered that motor ability had a stronger impact on performance than cardio respiratory capacity, while it was also found that participants who had lower levels in both areas also had lower grades.

A number of recent studies have highlighted the growing benefits physical fitness can have on the development of young people, with one particular study suggesting that being fit could improve children's language skills.