Fitter Kids, Better Grades

School students who are active and physically fit perform better in the classroom, states a new study, which is published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness. A first- of - its- kind study linking academic grades to physical fitness was carried out by the researchers from the Michigan State University. They closely examined the aspect of health-related fitness and how academic performance was linked to all aspects of physical fitness – including muscular strength, flexibility, endurance and body fat.

"Kids aren’t really fit if they’re doing well in just one of those categories," says Dawn Coe, the lead researcher of the study who conducted the research as a doctoral student in the kinesiology department of MSU. She is now an assistant professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Coe and colleagues gathered information for their data from 312 students studying between the sixth and eighth grade in a West Michigan school. The children’s fitness was gauged through an established criteria of push-ups, shuttle runs and a range of other exercises. These scores were compared with the students’ academic performance in four core classes conducted throughout the school year and their performance in a standardized test.

The results showed the fittest children were able to score the best grades regardless of gender. It did not even matter if they had attained puberty or not.

Children these days, are slaves to modern technology - they prefer to stay indoors with their video games, computer and play stations. This trend as we know is making them couch potatoes rendering them obese and physically unfit, besides predisposing them to a multitude of health problems. The findings may be treated as an admonishment to those who discourage children from taking part in physical activities and encourage them to be more studious. Remember, all work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy…!

Source-Medindia