Exercise may help youngsters study, research finds

Physical activity can help to improve the performance of children in the classroom, according to a new study.

Research conducted by scientists in the Netherlands looked at 14 previous studies involving children and teenagers between the ages of six and 18. The aim was to identify relationships between physical activity and academic achievement.

According to a report by the Press Association, the findings, which were published in the January issue of the journal Archives of Paediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, suggest that increasing the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain through exercise may help boost academic performance, reduce stress and improve a student's mood.

The report's authors said: "According to the best-evidence synthesis, we found strong evidence of a significant positive relationship between physical activity and academic performance.

"The findings of one high-quality intervention study and one high-quality observational study suggest that being more physically active is positively related to improved academic performance in children."

The authors said further work was necessary, using more accurate measurement instruments, in order to discover more about the relationship between exercise and academic achievement.