Brain and Body Connection
Physical activity not only helps with reducing health risks and childhood obesity, there is also scientific evidence regarding the evident connection between exercise and cognitive development. There is evidence that a decent amount of physical activity everyday helps to improve academic performance. Benefiting health and academic performance should be more than enough of a reason to promote more physical activities in school and at home.
"Studies show that exercise benefits learning, memory, and cognitive ability in numerous ways. Evidence from animal research suggests that exercise causes gross structural and vascular plasticity (or adaptive brain modifications), enhances brain activity, and modulates important neurotransmitter systems. Physically strenuous play synthesizes the neural benefits of both exercise and play by simultaneously providing physical, social, and intellectual stimulation." (366)
It is crucial for preadolescences to be more physically active at school and at home because recent studies show that physical fitness is positively associated with cognitive function among young children, but not among young adults (367). Hence, it is important for children to participate in physical activity on a daily basis.
The New Physical Education:
Physical education should emphasize on cognitively, socially, and aerobically demanding activities on a daily basis. The activities should focus on personal progress and lifelong fitness activities by encouraging modes of physically strenuous play that are engaging, challenging, and enjoyable to students. This type of physical activity increases activity levels, improves physical fitness, helps control weight, and enhances academic performance.
Quality physical education for every student requires commitment and time, but if education systems do not act, obesity will continue, health issues will rise, and students' quality of education and motivation to learn will suffer. Striving for a better physical education program is goal worthy since there is an abundant of evidence that regular physical activity benefits both the brain and the body for school-aged children.
The brain-body connection is crucial to successful and effective education and all educators and parents should be made aware of this in order to help our students and children.
Resources:
Ratey and Sattelmair, J. and J. (2009). American Journal of Play: Physically Active Play and Cognition an Academic Matter?. Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.
"Studies show that exercise benefits learning, memory, and cognitive ability in numerous ways. Evidence from animal research suggests that exercise causes gross structural and vascular plasticity (or adaptive brain modifications), enhances brain activity, and modulates important neurotransmitter systems. Physically strenuous play synthesizes the neural benefits of both exercise and play by simultaneously providing physical, social, and intellectual stimulation." (366)
It is crucial for preadolescences to be more physically active at school and at home because recent studies show that physical fitness is positively associated with cognitive function among young children, but not among young adults (367). Hence, it is important for children to participate in physical activity on a daily basis.
The New Physical Education:
Physical education should emphasize on cognitively, socially, and aerobically demanding activities on a daily basis. The activities should focus on personal progress and lifelong fitness activities by encouraging modes of physically strenuous play that are engaging, challenging, and enjoyable to students. This type of physical activity increases activity levels, improves physical fitness, helps control weight, and enhances academic performance.
Quality physical education for every student requires commitment and time, but if education systems do not act, obesity will continue, health issues will rise, and students' quality of education and motivation to learn will suffer. Striving for a better physical education program is goal worthy since there is an abundant of evidence that regular physical activity benefits both the brain and the body for school-aged children.
The brain-body connection is crucial to successful and effective education and all educators and parents should be made aware of this in order to help our students and children.
Resources:
Ratey and Sattelmair, J. and J. (2009). American Journal of Play: Physically Active Play and Cognition an Academic Matter?. Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.