This week came an exciting new study that will definitely add fuel to the discussion about the reduction of physical education in schools. The post-study study shows the cognitive benefits of physical activity in school-age children. A new study adds to previous findings in a well-controlled pilot project.
Researchers at the Medical College of Georgia worked with almost 200 sedentary and overweight children aged 7 to 11 years. They divided the children into three groups, including the control group, which was not engaged in physical activity after class, the group that studied after 20 minutes of vigorous activity, and the other 40 minutes of activity. Each group of activities worked 5 days a week for three months.
The heart of the heart of children tracks their activity levels while they play games such as tags, relay races, jump rope, etc. All children passed cognitive tests for math, reading and executive function (planning, organizing, focusing and controlling impulse) to they started the program and at its completion.
In the end, the children in the 40-minute exercise group showed significant improvement in cognitive tests, the 20-minute group showed about half the improvement, and the sedentary groups showed no improvement. Brain scans confirm the results, demonstrating increased activity in the brain areas involved in the executive function in children of the activity group.
In addition, the children of both groups of exercises showed some improvement in math skills, but no group showed improvements in reading skills. These results are consistent with other studies performed in adults. Previous studies have shown an increase in gray matter in training older people and an increase in the effectiveness of cognitive tests.
Nevertheless, we support and allow the reduction of PE programs from our schools due to budget constraints. Is not an improvement in test results. One of the main areas that schools focus on today? If daily physical activity improves test results, we should not make it a priority for children to get it?
In fact, it showed a Canadian study. These researchers divided the children into two groups; half took PE once a day, and the other half received additional education in the classroom. Again, the PE group exceeded the non-PE group on tests, even in cases where the non-PE group received additional instructions.
One of the problems is that 20 years ago, when many of today's parents were children, we were able to get a lot of unstructured activity after school ourselves. Today, children are being sucked in by an abundance of homework, free access to television and video games, and generally busy schedules. In addition, they simply do not have the freedom to run in the neighborhood, as we used to.
Last year, the American Academy of Pediatricians issued a statement that refers to a more free and unstructured game. in children. Not only does this give children the physical activity they need, but it allows them to use their imagination and build their levels of creativity and social skills.
If we don’t pay for more PE programs in schools, then we have to do something else. We all should strive to ensure that our children are constantly frightened and puffed up in activities not always dictated by their parents or overly structured sports coaches (of which I am also).
We need to worry again about physical activity, returning pleasure in all this. We must ask them to enter before it is too dark, and not ask them to go out and get away from the TV.
Copyright (c) 2007 BrainFit For Life
