Does Fitness Influence Academics?

A study conducted at UCLA and reported by Reuters suggests that being in good shape could actually be linked to being academically successful.

While being both academically and physically fit are important in their own right, the study found that the two could possible be intertwined!

The test was run by comparing a students physical fitness (determined by how fast they could run a mile,) with the students test scores. Their findings not only showed that the students who met or exceeded fitness standards had a higher test score, but also that nearly two thirds of the students fell below the state’s fitness standards. The results showed that for each extra minute it took an individual to finish their mile their test scores actually dropped more than a point.

The study also took into account general obesity and found that obese children actually scored significantly lower on both tests regardless of fitness. The results of these studies are nothing that new and the results of other tests can be found on PriceDoc in an article relating physical activity to better grades. While the results are tangible, the reasoning is unknown and further tests would need to be done to determine why there is a link.

With more and more schools dropping gym class, the team leader Dr. William McCarthy was quoted saying that, “schools will have to reverse their recent disinvestment in physical education ostensibly for the purposes of boosting student achievement.” If you want to see where you stand in terms of physical fitness, check out the President’s Physical Fitness Test.

How important do you think physical education classes are to children? Should the responsibility be on parents to help their children pursue physical activity and sports outside of school? If you’re worried about you or your child’s physical fitness, find a physician in your area with PriceDoc.

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