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Five Ways Exercise Can Help Your Child Do Better in School

time2017/07/03

Five Ways Exercise Can Help Your Child Do Better in School
1. Exercise Creates More Efficient White Matter and Brain Connectivity

August 2014 study from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that children who are more aerobically fit have more fibrous and compact white-matter tracts in the brain than their peers who are less fit. 

The study, "Aerobic fitness is Associated with Greater White Matter Integrity in Children," was published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.


2.Boys Can Especially Benefit from Regular Physical Activity

A September 2014 study from University of Finland found that physically active school transportation related to academic skills and may be beneficial for the development of reading skills in boys. 

The study, "Associations of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior with Academic Skills – A Follow-Up Study among Primary School Children," was published in PLOS ONE. 
3.Taking "Brain Breaks" During Class Improves Classroom Performance

In September 2014, the abstract of a study,"Brain Breaks: Physical Activity in the Classroom for Elementary School Children," was published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.

Oregon law will mandate that by 2017 elementary schools have 30 minutes a day of physical education classes, in addition to recess periods. A survey conducted by the Healthy Youth Program found that 92 percent of Oregon public elementary schools currently do not meet this standard. The CDC confirms that this is a nationwide deficit. 
4.After-School Exercise Groups Can Improve Cognitive Function

In September 2014, researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign released findings that children who participate in after-school exercise groups have improved cognitive function.

The study, "Effects of the FITKids Randomized Controlled Trial on Executive Control and Brain Function," is available from the University of Illinois News Bureau.
5.Resistance Training and Lifting Weights Can Improve Memory

In October 2014, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology found that an intense bout of resistance training for as little as 20 minutes can enhance episodic memory, also known as long-term memory in healthy young adults.

The study, "A Single Bout of Resistance Exercise can Enhance Episodic Memory Performance, was published in the journal Acta Psychologica.