Physically Active Young Boys Perform Better in Academics

Young boys who are physically fit perform better in academics, a new research shows.

Previous researches have shown that being physically active improves mental health and helps people lead a healthier life. It reduces the risk of obesity and other health problems.

Researchers at Finland aimed to find out whether physical activity levels had an impact on academic performance. Their findings showed that boys who were more physically active tended to have better academic achievements.

"There are no prospective studies that would have compared the relationships of different types of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) with academic skills among children. We therefore investigated the associations of different types of PA and SB with reading and arithmetic skills in a follow-up study among children," the authors wrote in the study.

The Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children (PANIC) Study at the University of Eastern Finland and the First Steps Study at the University of Jyväskylä did the research. The team assessed 186 children in the first grade and recorded their physical activity levels, sedentary behaviors, reading skills and arithmetic knowledge.

The findings of the study revealed that the association between physical activity and academic achievement was the strongest in young boys. Boys who had higher levels of physical activity during recess had better reading skills than the less active boys and those who participated in organized sports had higher scores in their arithmetic tests. Moreover, boys who walked and cycled more had better reading skills than boys who did not.

Researchers also found that the boys who spent more time reading, writing and playing video or computer games were good at reading and math compared to those who did not partake in these activities.

The team said that they did not find any link between the academic performance and physical activeness of girls.

Researchers said that the physical fitness is crucial for children's mental and physical health.

The study, 'Associations of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior with Academic Skills - A Follow-Up Study among Primary School Children,' was published in PLOS ONE.