According to a study performed by the University of Gothenberg in Sweden, there may be a direct link between aerobic fitness and academic performance. Data collected from Swedish men serving in the military show a positive correlation between aerobic fitness and average test scores in all subjects. The study also indicated that increasing physical fitness between the ages of 15 and 18 as the brain is still changing will lead to greater intelligence scores. A report by New York City's Health Department and Department of Education demonstrated similar findings.
What does this mean to high schools today? Childhood obesity has become famous, or rather infamous, in recent years. Most public and private schools are making efforts to offer healthier foods and to help students be more active. If these tentative findings are proven to be true, high schools have an even greater responsibility to keep their students active. More specifically, physical education needs to be a core component of any high school curriculum. In my own experiences, I only participated in a physical education course for one semester during my high school career. (Which couldn't have made me happier, might I add.) Looking at this research, though, I wonder if I was slighted a crucial element of my education.
No comments:
Post a Comment