Extra Physical Activity and Academic Achievement
Research on the impact of physical activity intervention program on academic achievement was published in the Journal of School Health. The study provided 408 twelve year olds with an additional two hours per week of extra play and motion activities. The control groups were three different schools (matched for male/female ratio, average level of income, education and unemployment of parents) who did not receive the extra two hours of physical activity per week.
Academic achievement was tested four years prior to the study and five years later. The results indicated the following:
1. Higher proportions of students in the intervention school achieved the national goals in all 3 subjects compared with the reference schools after initiation of the intervention program.
2. The odds for achieving the national learning goals in the intervention school doubled.
3. The odds for achieving the national learning goals did not change or decreased in the control schools.
The researchers concluded that promoting physical activity in school by means of a curriculum-based intervention program may improve children’s educational outcome.
Reference: Lina B. Käll PhD, Michael Nilsson MD, PhD, andThomas Lindén MD, PhD. The Impact of a Physical Activity Intervention Program on Academic Achievement in a Swedish Elementary School Setting. Journal of School Health Volume 84, Issue 8, pages 473–480, August 2014. DOI: 10.1111/josh.12179
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