12+ Research Studies Showing the Benefits of Activity on Academics & Overcoming Life Challenges

Research Articles - “Active Kids Do Better Academically”

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Physically Fit Kids Have Beefier Brain – University of Illinois

Physically fit kids brains look and function differently than their less-fit peers with increased brain “white matter” contributing to higher-fit children outperforming their lower-fit peers on cognitive tasks in the classroom. Both short-and long-term differences in the relation of aerobic fitness to brain health and cognition have been demonstrated.

Key Points:

  • More physically fit = more white matter in brain
  • More white matter is connected to faster and more efficient nerve activity
  • They believe throughout ones lie span white matter can be associated with increased physical activity

Research Details:

  • Number of children – 24 participants
  • Age – 9-10 year olds
  • Academic Improvement (actual) – The new findings show exercise changes the brain in ways that improve cognitive function
  • Actual Source of Research – University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • Date of the article – August 19th, 2014

More physical activity improved school performance – Univ of Gothenberg

More physical activity is shown to improve school performance in Swedish study.

“Two hours of extra physical education each week doubled the odds that pupils achieve national learning goals.”

Thomas Linden, Scientist and neurologist, Sahlgrenska Academy

  • University conducted research
  • Main idea is physical activity improves school performance
  • Results were clearly shown to support the idea physical activity improves school performance
  • Number of Children - 408
  • Age or Grade – 12 years old
  • Actual Improvement in academics andactivity – 2 hours of physical activity is shown to improve school performance
  • Actual Source of Research – University of Gothenberg
  • Date of the article – October 14th, 2014
  • Date of the research –July 10th, 2014

Fun and games make for better learners - Brendon Gurd

Classroom based high-intensity interval physical activity has shown to improve the on- and off-task behavior of primary school students.

  • Time crunch causes Ontario schools to find time during the day to incorporate activity
  • Only 4 minutes can lead to better academic achievement
  • Did not take a typical approach to the activity. Made up stories or situations to intrigue the children
  • Age or Grade – Grades 2 and 4
  • Actual Improvement in academics andactivity - off-task behaviors like fidgeting or inattentiveness in the classroom decreased
  • Actual Source of Research – Queens University
  • Date of the article – October 31, 2014
  • Date of the research –July 28th, 2013

12 minutes of exercise improves attention and reading comprehension in low-income adolescents, as well as reducing stress levels

A Dartmouth study shows that 12 minutes of exercise improves attention and reading comprehension in low-income adolescents, as well as reducing stress levels. The recommendation is for low-income school populations to incorporate brief bouts of exercise into their daily routine.

  • Low income group experienced a much bigger jump
  • This may be due to their higher stress levels
  • Improves selective visual attention among children as well
  • Age or Grade – Age 17-21
  • Actual Improvement in academics andactivity – attention and reading comprehension
  • Actual Source of Research (University, etc.) – Dartmouth College
  • Date of the article – June 12th, 2014

How Exercise Can Boost Young Brains

A University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign study underscores the importance of physical activity for children’s brain health and development, especially in terms of the particular thinking skills that most affect academic performance.

  • Activity increases a child’s ability to think
  • Tested aerobic fitness and executive functioning
  • Physically active kids showed vast improvement in test scores
  • Number of Children - 220
  • Age or Grade – 8-9 Year olds
  • Actual Improvement in academics andactivity - Activity led to better ability to think
  • Actual Source of Research (University, etc.) – University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • Date of the article –October 8th, 2014
  • Date of the research – September 2014

Quick activity breaks increase movement, resetting kids' brains

Physical activity breaks increase movement while resetting kids’ brains in Omaha Public Schools.

Quick activity breaks increase movement, resetting kids' brains

Omaha World-Herald

  • Take breaks in attempt to get blood flowing and “reset” their mind
  • With recess being limited teachers look to these breaks to allow children to take a break from learning and hopefully come back ready to learn more
  • Recess has been reduced since “no child left behind”
  • Research points to many benefits recess can have on children
  • Age or Grade - Kindergarten
  • Actual Improvement in academics andactivity – Improvement in math and reading test scores
  • Actual Source of Research (University, etc.) – American Academy of Pediatrics
  • Date of the article –December 8th, 2014

Team sports linked self-esteem and better performance in the classroom
Team sports are shown to be the only extracurricular activity to have a consistent and significant effect on student grades in addition to improving self-esteem, according to studies from the University of South Carolina, Pennsylvania State University, and the UK.

  • Students who play team sports perform better in the classroom
  • Study took into account after school activities and academic success
  • Team sports had a consistent and significant effect on students grades
  • Results remained the same across all socio economic backgrounds
  • Number of Children – 9,700
  • Age or Grade – 14-18 year olds
  • Actual Improvement in academics andactivity – Team sports had significant and consistent positive effect on students grades
  • Actual Source of Research (University, etc.) – University of South Carolina and Penn State University
  • Date of the article – May 24th, 2014

Brain boost:Sport and physical activity enhance children’s learning

Dr. Karen Martin from the University of Western Australia reports that sports and physical activity enhance children’s learning ability and academic performance beyond obvious benefits to physical health.

  • With academics being highly important to schools physical activity and education are being pushed away
  • Research shows increased physical activity can positively impact a students grades
  • There has been a great decline of physical activity in Australia
  • Actual Improvement in academics andactivity -
  • Actual Source of Research (University, etc.) – University of Western Australia
  • Date of the article – May, 2010
  • Date of the research – May, 2010

Proven: Kids Get Smarter Just from Exercising

14 studies conclude that the more physically active schoolchildren are, the better they do academically. Participation in sports and physical activity prove a decrease in cardiovascular risk in youth, provide beneficial effects on mental health outcomes, and enhance brain function and cognition.

  • Extensive research shows kids improve academically through exercise
  • Exercise causes increased blood and oxygen flow to the brain
  • List of exercise related benefits include reduced symptoms of ADHD, improved sleep, weight loss, stronger bones and improved mood
  • Gives examples of ways to make children more active
  • **********GREAT ARTICLE *********
  • Number of Children – looked at 14 studies ranging from 50 participants to 12,000
  • Age or Grade – 6 to 18
  • Actual Improvement in academics andactivity -Increased blood and oxygen flow to the brain, increased levels of norepinephrine and endorphins resulting in a reduction of stress and an improvement of mood, increased growth factors that help to create new nerve cells and support synaptic plasticity
  • Actual Source of Research (University, etc.) – Multiple Studies Used
  • Date of the article – Jan 20th, 2012
  • Date of the research – 2010

Examining The Impact of 45 Minutes of Daily Physical Education on Cognitive Ability by Julian Reed

Results:Experimental elementary and middle school participants observed significantly greater improvements compared with control elementary and middle school participants on 7 of 16 fitness and body composition measures and on 8 of 26 cognitive measures. These fitness, body composition, and cognitive improvement differences were more noticeable among elementary and middle school females.

CONCLUSIONS:

Providing 45 minutes of daily physical education can perhaps increase cognitive ability while increasing fitness and decreasing the prevalence of overweight and obese youth.

Examining the Impact of Integrating Physical Activity on Fluid Intelligence and Academic Performanceby Julian Reed

Results:Experimental Group children averaged close to 1200 pedometer steps per integration day, thus averaging 3600 steps per week. Children in the Experimental Group performed significantly better on the SPM Fluid Intelligence Test. Children in the Experimental Group also performed significantly better on the Social Studies State mandated academic achievement test. Experimental Group children also received higher scores on the English/Language Arts, Math and Science achievements tests, but were not statistically significant compared with Control Group children. Children classified in Fitnessgram's Healthy Fitness Zone for BMI earned lower scores on many of the SPM Fluid Intelligence components.

DISCUSSION:

This investigation provides evidence that movement can influence fluid intelligence and should be considered to promote cognitive development of elementary-age children. Equally compelling were the differences in SPM Fluid Intelligence Test scores for children who were distinguished by Fitnessgram's BMI cut points.

Opinion Articles - “Active Kids Do Better Academically”

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Incorporating physical activity into more subjects can help kids learn in school - Sian Beilock

Exercise can aid the mental health and cognitive functioning in children as well as adults, according to University of Chicago Prof. Sian Beilock in How the Body Knows Its Mind: “Movement matters for everyone, with mobile kids hitting cognitive milestones faster. Activities like swimming, running, cycling, walking briskly benefit the brain, in addition to keeping the body fit.”

  • Mobile kids hit cognitive milestones faster
  • The more quickly children learn how to walk and explore, the faster their cognitive development.
  • Aerobic exercise will aid not just children but also adults into having a healthy brain

Research Articles - “Active Kids Do Better With Life Challenges”

(Green Highlight)

A study from Oregon State concludes that intervention including physical activity, games and music help at-risk children learn self-regulation skills which will aid them life-long as well as prepare them for kindergarten.

  • For those children who have trouble in kindergarten most problems have seemed to have come from their self-regulation skills
  • Introduced interventions for kids at-risk and saw major improvement
  • Used an 8 week study including games and surveys to test the children
  • Number of Children - 276
  • Age or Grade - Kindergarten
  • Actual Improvement in academics andactivity – scored higher on tests checking self regulation skills
  • Actual Source of Research (University, etc.) – Oregon State
  • Date of the article – November 21st, 2014

Young teens who play sports feel healthier and happier about life

Participation in sports helps young teens socially, emotionally and physically, according to Dr. Keith Zulig and Rebecca White from West Virginia University. Teens active in sports are more satisfied with their lives, feel healthier and have greater self esteem.

  • Used questionnaires given to 12-14 year old children asking about happiness and how they feel health wise
  • Saw no correlation in boys
  • Saw correlation between positive feelings and vigorous activity
  • Team sports for boys and girls both positively affected their feelings and happiness
  • Number of children - 245
  • Age or Grade – 12- 14 year olds
  • Actual Improvement in academics andactivity – higher life satisfaction when playing on a sports team
  • Actual Source of Research (University, etc.) – West Virginia University
  • Date of the article – October 14th, 2010

Exercise and the Brain: It Will Make you Want to Work Out

Multiple studies conclude that a positive relationship exists between physical activity and cognitive function in both children and adults, promoting the executive functions of the brain and overall body and brain health.

  • Exercise improves cognitive function in young and old adults
  • The executive central command is what is most positively affected by exercise
  • Aerobic training, flexibility and resistance training work your brain in the best ways
  • Number of Children - *Multiple Studies
  • Age or Grade - *Multiple Studies
  • Actual Improvement in academics andactivity - *Multiple Studies
  • Actual Source of Research (University, etc.) - *Multiple Studies
  • Date of the article – October 31st, 2009
  • Date of the research – Many studies form 2001-2008

Sports, Youth and Character:

Robert K Fullinwilder, from the Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy, University of Maryland, extensive study concludes that sports build character, positively impacting the physical, mental and moral health of youth.

  • 40 page review of youth sports and the character it creates

Dublin City University, University of Limerick, and the University College Cork examine physical education, physical activity and sports participation in Irish children and youth to guide policy development in the areas of health, sports, education, transport and the environment which are determining factors in getting Irish children to be more active more often.

  • 150 page examination of physical activity and education
  • Number of Children – 5,397
  • Age or Grade – Around 13 years old
  • Actual Improvement in academics andactivity – One in four children were unfit, overweight or obese and had elevated blood pressure
  • Actual Source of Research (University, etc.) – Dublin City University, University of Limerick, and the University College Cork

Research from the University of Cambridge and Plymouth University have shown that follow-through activities such as swinging a golf club or tennis racket can help us to learn two different skills at once, or learn a single skill faster.

  • Repeated follow through motion will be remembered in the brain much easier
  • By practicing a single skill with multiple follow through actions more motor skills can be learned
  • Can aid in post stroke rehabilitation and many other forms of rehab
  • Tennis vs. Racquet Ball, very hard for player to be proficient in both. Use much more top spin in follow through of a tennis shot
  • Number of Children – Not child based
  • Age or Grade – Article focused on no specific age group
  • Actual Improvement in academics andactivity – Learning occurs faster with consistent movements
  • Actual Source of Research (University, etc.) – University of Cambridge
  • Date of the article – January 8th, 2015