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Furman study cited in Huffington Post
The health benefits of physical activity go without saying, and research continues to show that even small amounts can help. For African-American children, the impact is even more pronounced, according to researchers at Furman, who found that exercise can also help sharpen a child’s cognitive ability.
In the study, published in the Journal of Physical Activity & Health, elementary and middle school children who participated in 45 minutes of daily physical education were shown to have significantly greater improvements on cognitive tests than children who did not participate. The kids who exercised more also outperformed their peers on fitness and body composition tests.
The study is being led by Furman health sciences professor Julian Reed, who has been conducting an ongoing study at Legacy Charter School in Greenville that examines whether there is a link between physical fitness and the ability to learn. The article appeared in the Huffington Post.