Saturday, April 4, 2009

IT'S ALMOST TOO SIMPLE: Fit Kids Do Better in School


Fit Kids Get Better Grades


By Michael O'Shea


Publication Date: 01/11/2009 PARADE MAGAZINE


As childhood obesity rates soar and kids spend more time sitting in front of their computers than playing outdoors, diabetes and other weight-related illnesses are on the rise. But physical health isn’t the only thing at stake. According to a study by the California Department of Education, kids’ fitness levels also may affect their performance in school. The study found that increased amounts of physical fitness translated into higher academic achievement at each of the three grade levels measured. The benefits were most evident in math scores. And girls, particularly those at higher fitness levels, demonstrated greater achievement than boys. Another study, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also found that increased physical activity had a positive effect on academic performance. Previous research has led doctors to surmise that exercise may encourage new brain-cell growth. A workout for your body also is a workout for your mind. Help kids get in shape, and they may bring home higher test scores and better grades.


The Research Is In! Fit Kids Perform Better

This 100 Mile Club student has a personal goal of running 100 miles each trimester.
Here he is with his first 100 miles and a BIG smile! So far, he's right on track!

Life is wild! I have so many blog posts in the hopper, but for now, I simply want to link you to two fabulous studies we found. Both were published in 2009 and tout daily physical activity in school. YAY!

What a month!

Take a look at this!


Physical Activity May Strengthen Children's Ability To Pay Attention
ScienceDaily (2009-04-01) -- Physical activity may increase students' cognitive control -- or ability to pay attention -- and also result in better performance on academic achievement tests, according to research led by a kinesiology and community health expert. ... > read full article


Physically Fit Kids Do Better In School

ScienceDaily (2009-01-30) -- A new study found that physically fit kids scored better on standardized math and English tests than their less fit peers. ... > read full article

What we'll do is link you to an article here and there before my blog posts. Keeping up on research and having fun!! That's what it's all about!