Exercise = Brain Health

Fitness Could Improve Kids’ Academic Performance, Study Suggests

The more physical activity your kids get, the better their school grades are likely to be, a new study from Michigan State University suggests.
Contrary to the “dumb jock” stereotype, researchers found that the most physically fit sixth- to eighth-graders also score the highest on both objective, standardized tests and subjective tests graded by their teachers. That pattern persisted regardless of gender or whether the children had gone through puberty, the study authors say.
This is far from the first study to suggest a link between physical fitness and academic achievement. One research report from earlier this year found that students who participated in 45-minute gym glasses five days per week had a significantly higher “pass” rate than those who did not participate, while another found that regular exercise helped soothe kids’ ADHD symptoms and improve their school performance.
Taken together, the findings should provide even more incentive for parents to get their children exercising more, says study co-author James Pivarnik, Ph.D. Getting kids fit now will also make them more likely to be healthy throughout their lifetimes.
“Fit kids are more likely to be fit adults,” he says. “Hopefully … fitness and the success will both continue together.”
The study appears in the December 2012 issues of the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness.