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Exercise Helps Overweight Kids Do the Math
Filed under: Tween Culture, Health & Safety: Big Kids, Health & Safety: Tweens
Regular exercise boosts brain power. Credit: Corbis
In addition to making fewer trips to the drive-thru, now there's a new incentive to get chubby kids off the couch and to the gym. Turns out that regular exercise not only helps overweight kids get physically healthy, it also boosts their brain power.
Researchers at Georgia Health Sciences University studied 171 overweight and sedentary 7- to 11-year-olds and found that regular, vigorous exercise helps children think, plan and do math, according to a report on the university website.
"I hope these findings will help reestablish physical activity's important place in the schools in helping kids stay physically well and mentally sharp," Catherine Davis, clinical health psychologist at GHSU's Georgia Prevention Institute says in the report, which was published in Health Psychology. "For children to reach their potential, they need to be active."
"We know that exercise is good for you, but we didn't have very good evidence [before this] that it would help children do better in school," Davis tells HealthDay News.
In addition to helping overweight kids, regular exercise could have similar results for normal weight kids, Davis says.
"There are some neural growth factors that have been identified in mice that exercise," she says. "These benefits may include more brain cells and more connections between them."
The more kids exercised, the better the results, according to the report. Intelligence scores jumped an average 3.8 points in those exercising 40 minutes per day after school for three months with a smaller benefit in those exercising 20 minutes daily, according to the report.
The impact of exercising also helps kids have greater self control and behave better, Davis says in the report. "Maybe they will be more likely to stay in school and out of trouble," she says.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
2-15-2011 @ 8:59AM
gregsimsfitness said...Great article! gregsworkout.com
Reply
2-15-2011 @ 9:37AM
Nettie said...Just because you work out doesn't mean you will be good at math. I was involved in swimming, ballet and gymnastics as a child with a 8% body fat value through HS and I still stunk at math. I'm creative and it didn't matter if I was active or not and as and adult I still stink at math. Too bad the government gives people grants for such lousy research. I would agree with the article that if you exercise you keep your mind sharper but the way the headline is written it sounds like a magic pill to be better at math.
Reply
2-15-2011 @ 12:04PM
James said...Okay, we get it, you stink at math. However, that does not mean the research is lousy. Perhaps if you had not been so physically active you would really suck at math rather than just stink. Eliminating physical fitness type programs from primary schools is becoming far to common. While I have issues as to what those program should be, they are certainly needed. I would venture to say that if implemented properly even limited physical activity programs would show gains in all subjects, and reduce days lost to illness. What is needed at this point is research to help convince state and local school boards that physical activities are important, even if it is just active recess in elementary school.
2-15-2011 @ 12:17PM
Eddie said...Exercise pumps oxygen into your system. The brain operates on oxygen and glucose.
Reply
2-15-2011 @ 2:42PM
sitecontent said...This is yet more proof that children given these bizarre psychiatric labels such as ADHD and Bi-Polar Disorder are very likely just in need of proper exercise and nutrition.
This little guy I found on YouTube says it well: "I am Just a Child"
It's the one with the little cartoon guy that looks a little like a bear.
Reply
2-15-2011 @ 7:52PM
Alicia said...Have you ever known someone with Bi-Polar Disorder? It is very much a real thing in which people aren't in control of their emotions and have drastic changes in temperament and attitude. Trust me, you know the difference between a kid who is moody and one who is bi-polar.
2-15-2011 @ 3:11PM
Linda Beeson said...You know, I think this article is right!
You could have used a more current picture instead of one from the 1940s!!!! To make your point!!!
Reply
2-15-2011 @ 3:34PM
c vitti said...If you want to help your child to excel in math, try having he/she having them take piano lessons. It ias a great help and enjoyment. Ask their math teacher and I am sure they will agree.
CJ Vitti
Reply