Parents take note: according to findings published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the more active teenagers’ are, the better their school grades. Particularly for girls.
We’ve all heard the touting that exercise improves brain activity, but there has been little scientific evidence to prove it, until now. Researchers from England, Scotland and the United States measured the level of physical activity among nearly 5,000 11-year-olds who wore a motion-reading “accelerometer” for a week. Their academic performance in English, math and science was then assessed at the ages of 11, 13, and 16.
Children who had been more physically active at 11 performed better in all three phases and subjects. The results were particularly significant for girls and science scores, which is important considering that the numbers of girls entering science programs and professions continues to be on the decline.
Another great reason to get the kids exercising!
A great way to have active kids is to be active yourself. Get out there and make exercise a fun part of your family life.