Today’s news cycle routinely decries the costs of medications to the average American household. Political leaders wrestle to claim credit for lowering the price of the diabetes drug insulin. Even our youngest citizens live at the mercy of powerful pharmaceutical companies. But what if we told our children they could live without dependency on chemical concoctions? What if we taught them how to move their bodies to improve their health, well-being, and self-esteem? Rather than lining the pockets of the pharmaceutical industry, the country could make the choice to empower our youth.
As healthcare costs in the United States soar, rates of childhood obesity, Type II diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and attention to deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) continue to climb. Reports of depression and suicidal behavior among youth have risen, while feelings of hopelessness plague teenagers. At the same time, failing schools produce students who trail behind the world in math and science achievement and post dismal literacy rates. In composing their recommendations for physical activity guidelines for Americans, Piercy et al. (2018) reveal that only twelve percent of U.S. high school females and twenty-eight percent of males achieve the minimum requirement for activity according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additionally, research suggests that “prolonged sedentary time is associated with cardiovascular risk factors, independent of physical activity” Nauman et al., 2016). Not only do individuals need exercise, but they also require movement throughout the day in order to maintain health. Although sedentary lifestyles correlate to rising body mass index (BMI) and decreased health and fitness, our school-aged youth spend the majority of the day sitting at desks without moving except to change classrooms. The average American student in 2024 spends seventy percent of their day seated. The return for this prolonged inactivity continues to diminish: inactive bodies correspond to inactive minds. In addition to failing tests of physical health, students struggle to achieve academically as well.
The growing health and education crises that face the youngest generation require focused, immediate attention to make lasting change for their future and the future of the United States. Experts in the fields of medicine, public health, exercise science, and education must prioritize the health, well-being, and intellectual growth of youth or face a dire outcome. Research has long shown the positive effect of exercise on measures of cardiovascular, musculoskeletal conditioning, and disease. Additionally, physical fitness corresponds to improved cognitive function and well-being. Universal integration of consistent, regular exercise intervals for students in K-12 education would deliver significant individual and societal benefits by improving fitness and health outcomes, increasing motivation, optimism, and productivity, and enhancing learning and academic performance.
Multiple forms of physical activity have proven impacts on markers of wellness that correspond to lower levels of disease in children. Several studies have measured the health outcomes for students after implementing various exercise programs during the school day. Katz et al. (2010) examined the impact on upper-body strength, abdominal strength, flexibility, and rates of medication use for asthma and ADHD after a six-week trial of exercise programming during the school day. Their intervention entitled “ABC (Activity Burst in the Classroom) for Fitness” involved teacher-led activity breaks during or outside of their regular lessons. Working with elementary-aged children in Independence School District in Missouri, investigators designed short intervals incorporating a warm-up, strength or aerobic activities, and a cooldown. Data collection revealed significant improvements in all measures of strength and significant reductions in the use of asthma and ADHD medications. Additionally, measures of academic achievement showed that taking the prescribed activity breaks had no detrimental effect on performance or classroom behavior. Costigan et al. (2015) compared the use of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to a resistance and aerobic program (RAP) for adolescents attending secondary school. Their review found that participants in embedded school day HIIT sessions experienced increased cardiorespiratory fitness measured through VO2 max, improved body mass index (BMI), and decreased waist circumference which correlates with decreased rates of heart disease and cancer. Consistent but less significant gains in VO2 max occurred in the RAP group, while both groups showed modest improvements in muscle strength. In addition to these health gains, students reported enjoyment and high likelihood of continuing participation in exercise. “No other institution has as much continuous and intensive contact with children” (Katz et al 2010). In the face of mounting health issues that threaten to curtail the quality and quantity of their students’ lives, schools must incorporate the health promoting effects of exercise in their daily programming.
Regular exercise delivers mental health benefits and increases motivation and productivity. Exercise throughout the day increases positivity, optimism, self-esteem, and community participation, and decreases depression. “Exercise routines and physical activity […] have been shown to provide a distraction from negative thoughts and ruminations, and a boost in self-esteem through self-efficacy or mastery” (Lilia et al. 2023). Additional sources provide links to neurobiological mechanisms that cause mood elevating changes in the brain. Chen and Nakagawa (2023) cite numerous chemical processes that occur in response to physical activity including the release of endorphins and endocannabinoids which create feelings of joy and reduced anxiety. Exercise stimulates growth factors in the brain which increase resilience, as well as elevated levels of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin which fuel positive emotions. Considering the epidemic of mental health challenges facing youth today, the integration of consistent physical activity could provide a much-needed boost and increased chances of successful living and learning for school-aged children.
High fitness levels and participation in physical activity correlate with improved cognitive performance and enhanced learning. A study by Reed et al. (2010) examined the impact of integrating physical activity within the elementary school day on fluid intelligence and academic performance. Fluid intelligence which measures the ability to reason quickly and abstractly, “is thought to be highly correlated to intelligence and assesses one’s ability to solve problems regardless of [previous knowledge]” (Reed et al., 2010). Children participated in the integrated exercise program for three months, after which they took the Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM) Fluid Intelligence Test as well as several subject-specific achievement tests. Investigators also compared their subjects’ BMIs to their test results. Children who participated in exercise had higher scores on the SPM Fluid Intelligence Test, performed better on the Social Studies State mandated academic achievement test, and earned higher scores on the English/Language Arts, Math, and Science achievement tests. In addition, children who did not have a healthy BMI earned consistently lower scores on the SPM Fluid Intelligence Test than those with a healthy BMI. Classroom teachers have also incorporated vigorous physical activity for 10 minutes during each 20-minute math lesson, and investigators measured working memory, intermediate-term recall, mathematic word problem-solving, and attention to task (Bacon and Lord 2021). Importantly, engaging in exercise within lesson time showed no interference with memory, recall, or problem-solving. Researchers also found that students’ ability to maintain focus and resist distraction was significantly higher when students participated in physical active learning than when they did not. Promisingly, “increases in neurotransmission chemicals or increased cerebral blood flow and oxygen delivery may have impacted on concentration or moderated behavior responses in the present study” (Bacon & Lord, 2021). Physical activity embedded within the curriculum clearly shows potential to improve academic performance and intellectual ability.
The state of health and academic performance among school-aged children in the United States stands as catastrophic levels. Yet the opportunity to make impactful change lies before us. Regular exercise throughout the school day could deliver improved physical and emotional health as well as improved learning outcomes. Evidence shows that physical activity increases, strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular health, and reduces obesity, Type II diabetes, and the need for medications for chronic diseases. Additionally, exercise has positive effects on happiness, productivity, and self-esteem. These effects on health combined with the learning advantages gained by those who exercise testify to the importance of developing physical activity programming for all schools. With efforts to determine the type and amount of in-school exercise necessary to achieve the best outcomes, and strategic planning on how to embed exercise in the curriculum, the United States can improve the health, well-being, and achievement of its youth.
REFERENCES
Bacon, P., & Lord, R.N. (2021) The impact of physically active learning during the school day on children’s physical activity levels, time on task and learning behaviors and academic outcomes. Health Education Research, 36(3), 362-373. https://doi.org/10.1093/her/cyab020
Chen, C., & Nakagawa, S. (2023). Recent advances in the study of the neurobiological mechanisms behind the effects of physical activity on mood, resilience and emotional disorders. Advances in Clinical & Experimental Medicine, 32(9), 937-942.
Costigan, S.A., Eather, N., Plotnikoff, R.C., Taaffe, D.R., Pollock, E., Kennedy, S.G., & Lubans, D.R. (2015). Preliminary efficacy and feasibility of embedding high intensity interal training into the school day: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Preventative Medicine Reports, 2, 973-979.
Katz, D.L., Cushman, D., Reynolds, j., Njike, V., Treu, J.A., Walker, J., Smith, E., & Katz, C. (2010). Putting physical activity where it fits in the school day: Preliminary results of the activity bursts in the classroom for fitness program. Preventing Chronic Disease Public Health Research and Policy, 7(4), 1-10.
Lilia, K., Souher, B., Mohammed, K., Eddine, R.D., &Asma, I. (2023). The effect of physical activity on the mental health of the individual. HIV Nursing, 23(3), 243-246. https://doi.org/10.31838/hiv23.03.30
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