Many children fail to do well in school because they find it difficult to pay attention in class. This is especially true for children who are at a higher risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, better known as ADHD. Researchers from Michigan State University may have found a way around this. They observed that children who exercised before going to school were at a lower risk of ADHD symptoms than kids who didn't indulge in any kind of physical activity before daily classes.
"Early studies suggest that physical activity can have a positive effect on children who suffer from ADHD," Alan Smith, chairperson of MSU's Department of Kinesiology, said in a press statement.
Though previous studies have established that children who indulge in physical activities such as sports in school have improved brain function and better math and reading skills, this is the first study that has looked into how exercising might improve the broad range of symptoms and impairments associated with the disorder.
The study was conducted on 200 elementary school children who were followed for 12 weeks. During the trial, students were randomly selected to participate in a group that completed moderate to vigorous physical activity each day before school, or a group that completed more sedentary classroom-type activities.
"Although our findings indicated that all participants showed improvements, children with ADHD risk receiving exercise benefited across a broader range of outcomes than those receiving the sedentary activities," Smith said.
The researchers pointed out that more studies need to be conducted on this topic to understand how exercising can fully benefit children with ADHD.
"Despite the number of remaining questions, physical activity appears to be a promising intervention method for ADHD with well-known benefits to health overall," he said. "This gives schools one more good reason to incorporate physical activity into the school day."
This is not the first study that has highlighted a strong link between academic performance and physical fitness. Earlier this year, researchers from the Vrije Universiteit found that children who are physically active are more likely to perform better in school. This is because exercise helps in cognition by increasing blood and oxygen flow to the brain, increasing levels of norepinephrine and endorphins, decreasing stress and improving mood and growth factors that help create new nerve cells and support synaptic plasticity.
The current study was published online in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology.
