PLX Academy · Personal Experiences · 24 June 2022
Three out of every four teens – or 75 % – aren’t getting enough exercise, and this is even more pronounced among female students. Studies shows that more than half of medical students have insufficient physical activity because of study related activates and overtime shift work.
According to new research from the University of Georgia overall, female students reported less physical activity than their male counterparts; only 35% were active compared to 57% of males. However, students of both genders were more physically active when school climate was perceived to be positive across most measures.
New research from the University of Georgia suggests improving school climate can increase physical activity among adolescents.”The length of recess, physical facilities and social environments at schools have been found to affect physical activity among students,” said Thapa, an associate professor of health policy and management at UGA’s College of Public Health.
University of Georgia uses data from a statewide survey of over 360,000 Georgia high school students that included questions about physical activity levels and school climate. The state of Georgia has implemented policies and programs to boost physical activity in K-12 schools.
One thing that stood out was the influence of bullying. Female students who reported being bullied were more likely to be physically active, while male students who reported being bullied were less likely to be physically active. Bullying was the only measure of school climate that differed for male and female students. This disparity could be explained, said the authors, by the different norms about exercise and masculinity versus feminine ideals.
Evidence suggests that increasing physical activity and physical fitness may improve academic performance and that time in the school day dedicated to recess, physical education class, and physical activity in the classroom may also facilitate academic performance. Available evidence suggests that mathematics and reading are the academic topics that are most influenced by physical activity. These topics depend on efficient and effective executive function, which has been linked to physical activity and physical fitness. Children who participate in vigorous – or moderate-intensity physical activity benefit the most. Given the importance of time on task to learning, students should be provided with frequent physical activity breaks that are developmentally appropriate.