Academic Achievement:  What an Exercise Physiologist Can Do
Marcos Angel Sanchez Gonzalez, MD, EPC
Assistant Professor
Department of Physical Education
Exercise Physiology Laboratory
Universidad del Turabo
PO Box 3030 Gurabo PR 00778-3030

 "I hear and I forget.  I see and I remember.  I do and I understand." – Confucius

This article is intended for exercise physiologists who want to help young people with academics.  As healthcare professionals, exercise physiologists are in an excellent position to reinforce each student's education.  After all, there cannot be much disagreement about the importance of an education.  And yet, often times the key concept that revolves around a student's education is his or her health.  If a student's health isn't good, studying is difficult.  If a student's health is excellent there is the likelihood that he or she is doing well with class assignments. 

Federal laws and regulations such as "No Child Left Behind" [1] among many other programs are designed to create environments and conditions suitable for the reformation of education.  But, there are several reasons why there have been so few improvements in academic performance over the last 20 years. For example, there are socioeconomic status factors, attention disorders, and higher academic standards.  Only in recent years has attention been paid to such factors as sedentary lifestyles, inactivity, and low fitness level of students. Recently, researchers have found that the student's health, fitness, and well-being is directly related to academic performance [2].

Physical educators and exercise specialists have taken into consideration these factors in their hunt for solutions to low academic performance. In fact, the relationship between physical fitness and academic achievement has received considerably more attention in recent times given the increasing prevalence of children who are overweight and unfit. The idea that physical fitness may have a positive effect on academic achievement is not new but scientific evidence that support the idea is new. Over the last couple of years the relationship on physical fitness and academic performance has been established concluding that they are positively related.  

For example, Chomitz and colleagues [3] conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from a racially diverse urban public school district with significant health and academic achievement surveillance systems.  Fitness was assessed by physical fitness tests in five domains.  Academic achievement was measured by Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests. Mathematics scores were assessed in 4th, 6th and 8th graders (n=1,117).  English scores were assessed in 4th and 7th graders (n=753).  Multiple regression models were fit to estimate the magnitude of the association between raw MCAS scores and fitness levels.  Additionally, multivariable logistic regression analyses tested the association between fitness level and a passing score on the MCAS tests.  Both the multiple linear and logistic regression models controlled for student's BMI-for-age percentile, ethnicity, gender and socioeconomic status (free/reduced price meals).

They reported in 2006 at the American Public Health Association that both English and Mathematics raw test scores were positively associated with the number of fitness tests passed (p-values <.001).  In addition, there was a statistically significant increase in the odds of passing the MCAS Mathematics test as the number of fitness tests passed increased (p<.0001).  In other words, they found positive relationships between fitness and academic achievement.  While more research is required to demonstrate causality, promoting fitness may support academic achievement.

Although the connection between exercise and health has been known for some time, society has been slow in taking up regular exercise.  Clearly, exercise is as helpful in many cases as is a medical prescription.  In fact, it is reasonably clear that regular exercise decreases depression [4, 5].  Exercise is medicine and many healthcare professionals agree with this point.  For example, Landers [6] states that "Exercise is related not only to a relief in symptoms of depression and anxiety but it also seems to be beneficial in enhancing self-esteem, producing more restful sleep, and helping people recover more quickly from psychosocial stressors."  Naturally, students are expected to do better in their school work when they are less anxious and rested.  Encouraging regular exercise can only have a positive effect on the student's academic performance.

The failure to exercise is a huge public health problem.  The medical community is getting the message.  Ratey [7], a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School said, "Exercise in many ways optimizes your brain to learn."  There is evidence, according to Ratey, that "Exercise improves circulation throughout the body, including the brain, thus boosting metabolism, decreases stress and improves mood and attention, all of which help the brain perform better."  Exercise physiologists understand this point all too well.  They, too, believe that exercise is especially helpful in strengthening the body-mind complex.  In this way, they can also help ensure that students are rested when preparing for their academic studies. 

Gillman [8] argues that exercise helps the brain work more efficiently and actually makes you smarter.  He describes one study in which the thinking ability of subjects was tested.  After the tests, they ran on a treadmill for thirty minutes. Then when their hearts returned to normal resting levels they took follow-up tests.  For all tests the subjects were connected to an electroencephalogram (EEG) in order to track their brainwaves.  The researchers noted that exercising had significantly increased the speed of their decision-making.  Upon scoring the tests, it was also found that the subjects answered more accurately after the exercise than before.

Development of a healthy and capable nervous system through movement and exercise not only promotes physical health, but also enhances development of the intellectual.  During primary school years, health education and fitness are essential for promoting a positive lifestyle for students.  Exercise physiologists are educated in lifestyle risk factor management, and thus they should logically be hired in public school systems along with the school nurse.  Students need to grow up with the knowledge that exercise is medicine, and it is extremely helpful in dealing with serious chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes, cancer, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and obesity).

Also, students need to know that regular exercise is powerfully linked with the ability to do good academic work.  In this way, exercise physiologists can play an integral and fundamental part in the student's education, health, and well-being.  Hence, two specific considerations for exercise physiologists follow.  First, if exercise is to be meaningful, it must be properly monitored, prescribed and developed. The exercise physiologist is the healthcare professional prepared to administer and design proper exercise and fitness programs. Second, if exercise physiologists are going to consider employment in the public schools, they need to appreciate that they have a responsibility to contribute to society by developing solutions to its healthcare problems.

References

1.  U.S. Department of Education. (2007). No Child Left Behind Reauthorization. [Online]. http://www.ed.gov/nclb/overview/intro/reauth/index.html

2.  News-Medical.Net. (2007). Strong Relationship between Kids Academic Achievement and Fitness. [Online]. http://www.news-medical.net/?id=5684

3.  Virginia Chomitz, V., Slining, M.M., Dawson, G., McGowan, R., and Hacker, K. (2006).  Is there a relationship between physical fitness and academic achievement? Positive results from Cambridge, MA Public Schools.  The 134th Annual Meeting and Exposition of American Public Health Association. [Online]. http://apha.confex.com/apha/134am/techprogram/paper_135172.htm

4.  Craft, L.L. (1997). The Effect of Exercise on Clinical Depression and Depression Resulting from Mental Illness: A Meta-Analysis. Unpublished Master’s Thesis, Arizona State University, Tempe.

5.  North, T.C., McCullagh, P., and Tran, Z.V. (1990). Effect of Exercise on Depression.  Exercise and Sport Science Reviews, 18, 379–415.

6.  Landers, D.M. (1996). The Influence on Exercise on Mental Health. PCPFS Research Reports. Series 2, Number 12 [Online]. http://www.fitness.gov/mentalhealth.htm

7.  Stenson, J. (2007). Boost Your Brain Power With Exercise. MSNBC.com/ [Online]. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17050486/

8.  Gillman, S. (2005). Brain Power through Exercise. EzineArticles.com/ [Online]. http://ezinearticles.com/?Brain-Power-Through-Exercise&id=64370