Better Health, Better Learning Report - July 2017 SCORE Better Health Better Learning Report_July 20 | Page 7

not participate in a physical activity-oriented afterschool program, active students had
improved brain function. Groups of students who participated in both moderate and
vigorous physical activity experienced this enhanced mental functioning. Based on these
findings, the study’s authors determined, “Aerobic activity may prove to be an important
method of enhancing aspects of children’s mental functioning that are central to cognitive
development.” 14
A study released in 2012 looked at students’ obesity or physical fitness and academic
achievement. Researchers followed 6,250 children from kindergarten through fifth grade
and found that those who were obese throughout that period scored lower on math tests
than non-obese children. 15 This pattern held even after the researchers took into account
factors that can influence both body size and test scores such as family income, race, and
parental education level and job status.
In addition to physical activity,
students need quality nutrition to
develop and achieve. For example,
students who participate in free
school breakfast programs are more
likely to be on time to school, less
likely to be absent, and more likely
to have better attention, behavior,
math grades, and standardized test
scores than students from similar
income backgrounds who do not
regularly eat breakfast. 16 A study that
analyzed a healthy eating campaign
that banned junk food from schools
and introduced healthier, freshly
prepared school meals found that
participating students scored higher
on English and science tests than
students who did not take part in the
campaign. 17
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