The Benefits of PE - Summary

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Regular Physical Activity Improves Academics

FIGURE 2: Teachers Prefer PE in Schools. Teachers overwhelmingly favor requiring students to take physical education every day at every grade level, with 81% saying YES to daily PE in schools.

Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2003

Physically active students learn faster and retain understanding longer than inactive kids,¹ with elementary and middle-school age students receiving the most academic benefit.² Attention, focus, and comprehension required for learning are all positively affected as children strengthen their concentration skills through participation in physical activity.^8,9,10,11

The benefits in understanding and achievement experienced by active kids provide a strong argument for physical activity being part of every school day.²

Math Scores Improve

School physical activity programs increase children's ability to concentrate, resulting in improved math scores.⁹ Children's understanding of math and language concepts increase through participation in games, plus spatial and other math ideas are developed through the ability to function within a defined physical space.⁶

Reading Scores Improve

Children who are physically active demonstrate better reading and comprehension skills than those who are less physically active.³ In-school physical activity programs increase concentration in the classroom.⁷ Reading, writing, and behavior improve as a result.⁹ In addition, physical activity improves children's balance, coordination, and eye movement, which are all skills needed for reading, writing, and comprehension.⁸

FIGURE 3: Educational Impact on Children of Physical Activity in Schools. Physical activity improves academic performance, benefiting both students and teachers in the following educational areas:

Concentration
Focus
Balance
Self esteem
Energy
Behavior
Conflict resolution
Imagination
Sportsmanship
Movement control

Attention
Spatial skills
Eye movement
Skill mastery
Body image and build
Relationships
Creativity
Teamwork
Problem-solving
Handwriting

Source: See Reference appendix for multiple sources

Self-Esteem Increases

As children learn new physical skills, they develop a sense of mastery and well-being that has benefits for learning in the classroom.¹⁴ Young children who participate in regular physical activity have better brain function, higher energy and concentration, and improved body build, all which improve self-esteem and result in better behavior and classroom learning.⁴

Classroom Behavior Improves

While playing, children learn how to better get along with others and settle differences and are more creative and imaginative.¹⁵ Exercise reduces bad behavior of troublesome students; the more vigorous the exercise, the greater the behavior improvement.¹³

The quality-of-life impairment is profound for obese children.
They have self-reported scores for quality-of-life as bad as those of
children with cancer undergoing chemotherapy.³⁴

Physical Activity Is Best Administered in Schools

FIGURE 4: Long-Term Effects of Childhood Obesity. Children who are obese may suffer from one or more of the following Early Chronic Diseases (ECD):

Type 2 Diabetes^25,26
Arthritis²⁵
Colorectal cancer²⁵
Atherosclerosis²⁵
Gastrointestinal disorders²³
Twice the risk of death when children become adults²⁵

Asthma^10,24
Liver fibrosis/cirrhosis²⁶
Sleep apnea²⁶
Pulmonary dysfunction²³
Orthopedic complications^23,26

Source: See full research report for multiple sources

"Comprehensive school health programs represent an efficient means to improve both the health and education of Americans." This recommendation from the Journal of School Health emphasizes the need for more effective physical activity and health programs in schools.⁹

Schools are Most Effective in Reaching Children

Young people are not as naturally active as we generally believe. One-fourth of children engage in no vigorous activity, and 14% report no recent activity at even the light-to-moderate level.²⁸ In many instances, children are not allowed out of their homes after school for safety reasons.

In-school programs are the only way to ensure that all children
have access to regular physical activity.

Children in the Tween age group (8 to 12) are forming habits, ideas, attitudes, and perspectives that will stay with them for life. At these ages, they are in danger of exposure to early forms of chronic diseases which may continue with them into adulthood.

Ignoring the Evidence can be Deadly

Ten percent of children ages 2 to 5 are already overweight,²² leaving them at risk for many health disorders. High cholesterol, blood fats, and blood pressure in overweight children are indications of early heart disease. High insulin levels in less-active and overweight children put them at risk for Type 2 (adult onset) diabetes.²³

Of the children born in the year 2000, 33% will develop Type 2 Diabetes; 50% of minority children will develop this debilitating disease. - CDC, 2002

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