Active Bodies, Active Minds The Need for Physical Activity in Schools Dr. Lindsay Shaw
Healthy People/Healthy Economy First Annual Report Card Youth Physical Activity D Grade: D 42% of MA public school students have no PE in 2009 18% of MA schools offer daily PE (US average 30%) MA high schools are at the bottom of all states for physical activity in high school students
Daily PE California Department of Education 2001 Study 33% of freshmen in California were overweight or obese. Naperville District 203 2002 Study 3% of freshmen were overweight or obese. 19,000 children in the district. TIMSS Trends in International Mathematics / Science. An international benchmarking test comparing the achievement of eighth-grade students. In 1999, Naperville District 203 scored #1 in science and #6 in math. An amazing 94.1% of Naperville parents were satisfied with the PE curriculum.
MA Comprehensive Health Curriculum Framework Physical Activity & Fitness: Students will, by repeated practice, acquire and refine a variety of movement skills and will apply the concept of wellness to their lives. Physical Activity and Fitness focuses on individual competence relating physical activity to lifelong health. By: identifying and experiencing the relationship of exercise to overall health, applying important social skills and safety in physical activity, integrating learning movement with other modes of learning, and practicing strategies to respond to stress, students can enhance their overall health and wellness.
HUNTER GATHERERS If you did not run, you did not eat Our early ancestors predominately consisted of hunter-gatherer types ensuring the Running Man as a standard of fitness for their survival. Individuals who could out-run & out-plan their peers would survive
Kaiser Family Foundation 2010 2010: Youth media consumption rate has risen to 7 hours and 38 minutes. That is almost as much time as adults spend at work yet adults only work 5 days a week.
What Happens In the BRAIN When We Exercise?
Exercise Influences Brain Functioning On Multiple Levels: Chemical/Hormones/ Growth Factors Brain Structure Electrical Activity
Fitness, Hippocampus Size, and Memory Kids who were fit and who had better memory, also had larger hippocampii Fitness increases neurons, connectivity- 28 fit 21 non Chaddock L, Erickson KI, Prakash RS, Kim JS, Voss MW, Vanpatter M, Pontifex MB, Raine LB, Konkel A, Hillman CH, Cohen NJ, Kramer AF. A neuroimaging investigation of the association between aerobic fitness, hippocampal volume and memory performance in preadolescent children. Brain Res. 2010 Aug 21. [Epub ahead of print]
Growth in the brain.especially in the hippocampus
Exercise Influences Brain Functioning On Multiple Levels: Chemical/Hormones/ Growth Factors Brain Structure Electrical Activity
Exercise Influences Brain Functioning On Multiple Levels: Chemicals/Hormones/ Growth Factors Brain Structure Electrical Activity
Exercise Affects IQ and EQ: Chemicals/Hormones/ Growth Factors Brain Structure Electrical Activity
2004 Scores in Math by Number of Fitness Standards Achieved Grade 5 371,198 Students Grade 7 366,278 Students Grade 9 63,028 Students** *California Standards Test ** Grade 9 Students who took CST geometry Source: California Physical Fitness Test, 2004 Results, Calif. Dept. of Ed., April 2005
2004 Scores in English-Language Arts by Number of Fitness Standards Achieved Grade 5 371,198 Students Grade 7 366,278 Students Grade 9 298,910 Students *California Standards Test Source: California Physical Fitness Test, 2004 Results, Calif. Dept. of Ed., April 2005
SAMPLE DESCRIPTION 2127 Students enrolled 2004-2005 school year Study sample: 1841 students from the 4 th, 6 th, 7 th, 8 th grades. PRIMARY OUTCOMES: Scores on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Achievement Standard (MCAS Tests) PRIMARY PREDICTOR: Number of fitness test passed PRIMARY PREDICTOR: FITNESS TESTS Fitness tests administered in Spring 2005 by trained PE teachers. Standards based on Cooper Institute and Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) 5 domains of fitness - Endurance cardiovascular test - Abdominal strength test - Flexibility Test - Upper body strength test - Agility Test
For each one unit increase in the number of fitness tests pass, odds of passing: MATH MCAS increased by 38% (1.234 1.541) (p<.001) ENGLISH MCAS increases by 24% (1.003 1.522) (p<.05) -Cross-sectional positive relationship between fitness and academic achievement -Promoting fitness may support academic achievement -More research is required to demonstrate causality
2009 Texas Cooper Study 2.6 million students Significant correlations were found between physical fitness and various indicators of academic achievement. Results show higher levels of fitness are associated with: Better academic performance ***Higher performance independent of typical predictors: SES, minority, school size Better school attendance Fewer disciplinary incidents (drugs, alcohol, violence and truancy)
Charleston Progressive Academy Exercise impacts self-control Public Magnet School, grades 4-8, approximately 120 children. All on school breakfast and lunch programs. Program: Added 40 minutes of exercise in the morning Exercise was performed in gym in station format. Activities included: Basketball, Dance Dance Revolution, Double Dutch" jump roping, Pogo stick jumping. 1st Semester 2006-2007 Outcomes: Disciplinary Referrals Year 2006 2007 Referrals: 661 353 Suspensions: 71 24 Teachers reported: Students are more focused. Teachers observed: Students testing immediately after morning activities did better meeting or exceeding individual growth targets than middle scholars taking the test late morning or in the afternoon.
Update from Charleston, SC: Advance publication from Pediatric Academic Societies (May 2011) Grades 1-6 exercised while learning basic academic skills for 40 minutes daily. Previously had 40 minutes of PE once a week State test goal achievement improves from 55% to 68.5% (CAUSALITY)
Sweden: The Proof 1.2 million boys born 1950-76; finished H.S. at 15 and entered military at 18. 270,000 brothers, 1300 identical twins. Tested cardio (ergonometric) muscle (knee, elbow, hand) and cognitive appraisal-both at 15 and 18. Those that improved cardio fitness improved IQ; not as much with muscle strength. Also those that improved went on to have better education, more satisfaction with life, and higher socio-economic standing. Brothers, identical twins showed the same association- those that improved their physical fitness improved their brain power. Its not just about the genes. "We believe the present results provide scientific support for educational policies to maintain or increase physical education in school curricula as a means to stem the growing trend toward a sedentary lifestyle, which is accompanied by an increased risk for diseases and perhaps intellectual and academic underachievement," write researchers Maria Aberg and colleagues of the University of Gothenburg in Gothenburg, Sweden in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2009 Nov 30. [Epub ahead of print]
The Association between School- Based Physical Activity, including Physical Education, & Academic Performance? A CDC Report, April 2010
Does the Literature Concur? 406 total articles that have examined the association between school-based physical activity and academic performance. 43 articles included in synthesis and categorized based on physical activity context (PE, recess, classroom activity, and extracurricular activity) and then by academic performance outcome (academic achievement, academic behavior, and cognitive skills & attitudes) CDC found 251 associations between physical activity and academic performance 50.5% positive 48% not significant 1.5% negative
Summary School boards, school administrators, and principals can feel confident that maintaining or increasing time dedicated for physical activity during the school day will not have a negative impact on academic performance, and it may positively impact students academic performance. Replacing a portion of time on task with physical activity (may) boost performance.
Physical Activity Academic Performance Physical Education Recess Classroom Activity Extracurricular Activities Cognitive Skills Attitudes Academic Behaviors Academic Achievement
PE and fitness are Not about vanity, although Boston was ranked high among the most vain cities according of prevalence of gym memberships:
Who Meets the 30 Minutes x 5 Days Guideline? UK study using accelerometers, 2,000 participants
PE and fitness are Not about organized sports About 5% of high school athletes go on to compete in college About 3% of college athletes go on to compete professionally About 4% of adults over 22 play organized sports
PE and fitness are For the individual, a mind-body functioning enhancer Learning in school will build life long skills Raises wealth generated, education level and satisfaction across lifetime For schools, a teaching tool Low cost solution to change style of sport-centric PE towards personal fitness based Optimizes learning readiness amongst student brains For society, a social justice issue Reduces effects of SES on academic performance and health outcomes Create healthier, more productive citizens
Thank you Please send questions or comments to Lindsay.Shaw@gmail.com