741,945 total healthy, active lifestyles pledges have been taken
TODAY'S PLEDGE

Today I pledge to...

Daily Physical Activity is Key to Academic Success

Perspiration is a key part of the pathway to getting good grades. The results of a recent study, reported in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, indicate there is a direct correlation between academic success in the classroom and daily physical exercise.

This study, which focused on nearly 5,000 students, “found that grades increased in direct correlation with the amount of physical exercise undertaken in the average day.” The bottom line is that “researchers found an average of 60 minutes of (daily) moderate to vigorous physical activity could be the difference between achieving a C or B grade.”

Studies conducted in the U.S. have produced similar, if not identical, conclusions.  These studies were published in an article earlier this year by PHIT America, a partner of the Together Counts program. For instance, a three-year study conducted at the Legacy Charter School in Greenville, SC by Julian Reed, an associate professor of health sciences at Furman University, has unlocked the ‘key’ to maximizing academic achievement and performance for students.  That ‘key’ is providing students more physical activity and exercise opportunities – on a daily basis!

“The evidence is clear.  Simply put, physical activity is the key to education,” said Jim Baugh, Founder of PHIT America.  “It will help keep them physically fit, learn motor skills which they can use their entire life, and improve their chances of earning good grades and higher test scores in the classroom.”

PHIT America is a member of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation. PHIT is a non-profit educational, social media, and advocacy campaign focused on overcoming the inactivity and obesity in America by creating a Movement for a Fit & Healthy America. Fueled by 150 companies, sports ambassadors and celebrities, PHIT America is dedicated to getting Americans more active, fit and healthy.

If you are interested in reading more about the importance of physical activity, check out these other articles:

« Back to the Blog