(ABC) -- As more schools cut recess in favor of classroom time, a new study suggests that the two go hand-in-hand. Exercise stimulates a child’s mind, as well as his/her body.
Students who are aerobically fit do better academically than their unfit counterparts.
The study in the Journal of Pediatrics shows physically fit kids are more than twice as likely to pass standardized math and reading tests than those who are not.
Researchers looked at more than 11,000 students from fourth to eighth grade in 47 public schools. The association between aerobic fitness and improved academic performance was evident regardless of whether students received free or reduced lunches – so, socioeconomic status was not a factor.
The children’s weight also had no effect on their performance on the tests. Only exercise made a difference, leading researchers to suggest that as much emphasis should be place on physical education as on academics.
