Physical activity does the body good, and there’s growing evidence that it helps the brain too. Researchers in the Netherlands report that children who get more exercise, whether at school or on their own, (26)_____ to have higher GPAs and better scores on standardized tests. In a (27)_____ of 14 studies that looked at physical activity and academic (28)_____, investigators found that the more children moved, the better their grades were in school, (29)_____ in the basic subjects of math, English and reading.
The data will certainly fuel the ongoing debate over whether physical education classes should be cut as schools struggle to (30)_____ on smaller budgets. The arguments against physical education have included concerns that gym time may be taking away from study time. With standardized test scores in the U.S. (31)_____ in recent years, some administrators believe students need to spend more time in the classroom instead of on the playground. But as these findings show, exercise and academics may not be (32)_____ exclusive. Physical activity can improve blood (33)_____ to the brain, fueling memory, attention and creativity, which are (34)_____ to learning. And exercise releases hormones that can improve (35)_____ and relieve stress, which can also help learning. So while it may seem as if kids are just exercising their bodies when they’re running around, they may actually be exercising their brains as well.
