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Document Sample
Physically Active Children are
More Likely to Perform Better
Academically
Northern Virginia Healthy Kids Coalition
Executive Summary December 2009
More than 10 years ago the day. The root cause of who are physical active
World Health Organization overweight among children perform better
Key Results:
announced that obesity was and adolescents is an academically and are more
a global epidemic with excess of caloric intake likely to have a stronger
• Reduced
classroom time to major adverse health compared with caloric academic performance than
increase physical consequences.1 The expenditure. Children are sedentary youth; classroom
activity does not obesity epidemic has consuming too many activity breaks improve
hinder academic worsened since the WHO’s calories while leading very cognitive performance and
performance statement and sedentary lives. classroom behavior while
• Physically active unfortunately the upward sacrificing physical
children are more These alarming results are
trend is not slowing. education for classroom
likely to perform coming out the same time
better academically time does not improve aca-
The most alarming as researchers are
• Kids who are demic performance.
consequence of the obesity discovering an amazing link
physically fit have epidemic is the prevalence between physical activity
a stronger
among children and and academic performance.
academic
performance adolescents. Results from a Scientist have been able to
• Activity breaks can 2007 survey of Northern define a clear connection
improve cognitive Virginia reported that more between physical activity
performance and than 1 in 4 children (aged and health benefits but a
classroom 2-18) are overweight new relationship between
behavior (16.5%) or at risk of being physical activity and ‘brain
overweight (9.9%).2 The power’ is emerging!
study also found that 58%
Researchers are observing
of Northern Virginia youth
exciting results such as:
watch 4 or more hours of
children and adolescents
recreational television a
Major Findings: students who did not enroll in 58,000 students found
in P.E. and had 55 that regular physical activity
In 2006, a Michigan study
additional minutes of class is associated with enhanced
of more than 200 sixth-
time.3 academic performance.4
grade students discovered
that students enrolled in Eleven of fourteen peer- Two U.S studies found that
P.E. and received 55 reviewed research studies physical fitness scores were
minutes less of classroom that examined the link significantly and positively
time performed the same between physical activity related to academic
on standardized tests as and academic performance performance in
PAGE 2
Major Findings cont:
elementary through high school student’s performance on state
students.5, 6 standardized tests.
Evaluation of 2.4 million Texas A 12-week study performed in
students, grades 3 to 12, that 2006, evaluated the effects of a 10-
participated in the FITNESS- minute daily activity break among
GRAM program found a strong 243 elementary students.8 The
correlation between physical results showed the activity break
fitness and state standardized test increased on-task behavior by 8%
scores.7 Specifically, there was a and among the least on-task To learn more about the academic
strong association between students by 20%. benefits of physical activity view our
cardiovascular fitness and a website www.tippingthescales.net
or any of the cited works.
References
1. World Health Organization. Obesity: Preventing and Managing the Global Epidemic. Report of a WHO Consultation on Obesity, 3-5
June 1997, Geneva. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2001. WHO/NUT/NCD 98.1
2. Professional Research Consultants: 2007 PRC Child & Adolescent Obesity Survey, Northern Virginia.. Omaha, Nebraska: 2007
3. Coe DP, Pivarnik JM, Womack CJ, Reeves MJ, Malina RM. Effect of physical education and activity levels on academic achievement in
children. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 2006; 38: 1515-1519
4. Trost, SG. Active Education: Physical Education, Physical Activity and Academic Performance. Active Living Research. Fall 2007
Research Brief. www.activelivingresearch.org
5. Knight D, Rizzuto T. Relations for children in grades 2, 3, and 4 between balance skills and academic performance.
Perceptual and Motor Skills 1993; 76: 1296-1298
6. Castelli DM, Hillman CH, Buck SM, Erwin HE. Physical fitness and academic achievement in third– and fifth-grade
students. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology 2007; 29: 239-252
7. Trost, SG. Active Education: Physical Education, Physical Activity and Academic Performance. Active Living Research.
Summer 2009 Research Brief. www.activelivingresearch.org
8. Mahar MT, Murphy SK, Rowe DA, Golden J, Shields AT, Raedke TD. Effects of a classroom-based program on physical
activity and on-task behavior. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 2006; 38: 2086-2094
Additional Resources:
ACS, Healthy School = Healthy you: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/PED_13.asp
CDC, Make a Difference at Your School: http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/keystrategies/index.htm
CDC, P.E. Curriculum Analysis Tool: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/PECAT/
Action for Healthy Kids: http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/
Brain Breaks: http://www.emc.cmich.edu/BrainBreaks/
Take 10!: http://www.take10.net/whatistake10.asp
