Exercise Before School Can Ward Off ADHD Symptoms,
Study Finds
By Christina Samuels on September 11, 2014 4:38 PM
Want to help improve the focus of a child with attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder? Try
some jumping jacks before class.
That's the main finding of researchers from Michigan
State University and the University of Vermont who examined 200 kindergarten,
1st and 2nd-graders, about half of whom were deemed to be at risk of developing
ADHD. Students were randomly placed in two groups: one group participated in 30
minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise before the school day, while the other
group engaged in more sedentary activities.
Over the 12 weeks that the children were studied,
those who were exercising before school saw benefits across a broader range of
outcomes than children who were spending time doing low-key activities.
In a statement, Alan Smith, the chairman of Michigan
State's kinesiology department, said that questions still need to be answered,
including the frequency and amount of exercise needed to show effects. But "physical activity appears to be a
promising intervention method for ADHD with well-known benefits to health
overall," he said. Smith conducted the research along with lead author
Betsy Hoza, a professor of psychological science at the University of Vermont.
"This gives schools one more good reason to
incorporate physical activity into the school day," Smith said.
The study was published in the September edition of
the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology.
Personally I strongly agree with the incorporation of physical activities into the school day because it means that schools tend to be inclusive which implies that they use a certain strategy so that its students can focus in a better way on their homework and studies. Therefore, this technique will ward off symptoms of ADHD Macarena Peñaloza
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