Physically active boys perform better in school

If you find it dificult to keep pace with the high levels of energy of your male kid, chances are that he will be good at studies, says a study.

Higher levels of physical activity are related to better reading and arithmetic skills in the first three school years, especially among boys, the findings showed.

In girls, there were only few associations of physical activity and sedentary behaviour with academic achievement.

The study was conducted in collaboration with the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children (PANIC) study conducted at the University of Eastern Finland and the First Steps study at the University of Jyvaskyla in Finland.

The study investigated the relationships of different types of physical activity and sedentary behaviour assessed to reading and arithmetic skills in grades 1-3 among 186 Finnish children.

Higher levels of physical activity at recess were related to better reading skills and participation in organised sports was linked to higher arithmetic test scores in grades 1-3.

Those walking and bicycling to and from school had better reading skills than less active boys.

The findings of the present study highlight the potential of physical activity during recess and participation in organised sports in the improvement of academic achievement in children.

The study appeared in the journal PLOS ONE.