Physically Fit Boys and Girls Score Higher on Reading and Math
October 05 2012
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According to a study done at the University of North Texas, having a
healthy heart and lungs may be one of the most important factors for
middle school students to excel in math and reading
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The research is pouring in that regular exercise can improve test
scores, IQ levels and task efficiency for kids and adults alike
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Too much “screen time” in front of TVs, computers and video games
can increase your child’s risk of emotional and behavioral
difficulties, regardless of time spent exercising
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Be a positive role model for your child by both limiting your
family’s screen time while encouraging activities that boost
physical fitness
By Dr. Mercola
If there were a way to make your child a better reader,
or improve their performance in math – and it was free,
natural and absolutely safe – would you do it?
Of course you would!
Virtually every parent hopes their child will excel
academically, and for kids the boost to reading and math
skills can be a tremendous lift to their self-esteem.
Fortunately, yet another study has found that getting
physically fit has the wonderful "side effect" of boosting
your child's cognitive abilities – no tutor required!
Healthy Heart and Lungs Boost Math and Reading Scores
According to a study done at the University of North
Texas, having a healthy heart and lungs may be one of the
most important factors for middle school students to excel
in math and reading.1
Cardiorespiratory fitness was the only factor that was
found to consistently impact grades on reading and math
tests, which the researchers said should be a wake-up call
to schools that have limited physical education classes. Of
course, you needn't rely on gym class to get your child
active, and in fact should strive to make physical fitness a
regular part of your family's life outside of school hours
as well.
The More Active Your Child, The Better They'll Do at School
This was the finding from a review of 14 studies
involving children ages 6-18.2
According to the authors:
"There are several hypothesized mechanisms for why
exercise is beneficial for cognition, including:
- Increased blood and oxygen flow to the brain
- Increased levels of norepinephrine and
endorphins resulting in a reduction of stress and an
improvement of mood
- Increased growth factors that help to create new
nerve cells and support synaptic plasticity"
To put this into perspective, Naperville Central
High School in Illinois implemented a special program where
students could take part in a dynamic gym class at the
beginning of the day and had access to exercise bikes and
balls throughout the day in their classrooms. The results
were astounding. Those who participated nearly doubled their
reading scores, and math scores increased 20-fold!3
As many of you reading this have likely experienced, if
your mind is feeling cluttered or you're having a
mid-afternoon slump, a brisk walk or a quick workout can
give you a renewed sense of clarity and focus. This is
certainly true for kids too. The research is pouring in that
regular exercise can
improve test scores, IQ levels and task efficiency for
kids and adults alike. Some of the research highlights
include:4
- Among elementary school students, 40 minutes of
daily exercise increased IQ by an average of nearly 4
points
- Among 6th graders, the fittest students scored 30
percent higher than average students, and the less fit
students scored 20 percent lower
- Among older students, those who play vigorous sports
have a 20 percent improvement in Math, Science, English
and Social Studies
- Fit 18-year-olds are more likely to go on to higher
education and get full-time jobs
- Students who exercise before class improved test
scores 17 percent, and those who worked out for 40
minutes improved an entire letter grade
Too Much Screen Time May Negate Some Exercise Benefits
It's a common misconception that if your child spends
some time in gym class or rides his bike after school, then
watching TV, playing video games or surfing the Web later
won't matter. In reality, this "screen time" – more than two
hours a day in particular – is associated with increased
emotional and behavioral difficulties, regardless of the
time spent exercising. According to one study, researchers
found that:5
- Children who spent more than two hours a day
watching TV or using a computer were 61 and 59 percent
more likely to experience high levels of psychological
difficulties, respectively
- Children who spent more than two hours a day
watching TV, and also failed to meet physical activity
guidelines, were 70 percent more likely to experience
high levels of psychological difficulties
- This risk increased to 81 percent for children who
used a computer for more than two hours a day while also
failing to meet recommended exercise guidelines
I think there's no doubt that it is imperative to limit
your child's TV, computer, and video game time,
in addition to encouraging your child to spend
more time doing various forms of physical activity.
What Type of Exercise is Best for Kids?
The same type that's best for adults, which is short
bursts of intense activity with periods of rest in between—
this is actually the
way your body was designed to move! And kids will
typically fall into this behavior quite spontaneously, as
long as they're outdoors with friends, and not cooped up in
front of a TV or computer screen ... Like adults, kids also
need variety in their exercise routines to reap the greatest
rewards, so be sure your child is getting:
- Interval training
- Strength training
- Stretching
- Core-building activities
This may sound daunting, but if your child participates
in a gymnastics class, sprints around the backyard after the
dog often and rides his bike after school, he or she's
covered.
Also remember that acting as a role model by staying
active yourself is one of the best ways to motivate and
inspire your kids. If your child sees you embracing exercise
as a positive and important part of your lifestyle, they
will naturally follow suit. Plus, it's easy to plan active
activities that involve the whole family and double up as
fun ways to spend time together, like hiking, bike riding,
canoeing, swimming and sports.
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