A U.S. study suggests a link between the amount of time girls spend in physical education class and their academic achievement.
The researchers said physical education may boost academic achievement by increasing blood flow to the brain and fostering positive classroom behaviors.
Susan Carlson, an epidemiologist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said data from a longitudinal study of students in kindergarten through fifth grade showed that girls who were enrolled in 70 minutes or more of physical education each week scored significantly higher on tests for math and reading than girls who had fewer than 35 minutes of physical education each week.
The report, published in the Journal of American Public Health, said higher amounts of physical education did not appear to have a negative or positive impact on academic achievement among boys. USA Today said
Carlson suggested that a higher level of physical activity might be needed to yield the same result for boys.
Copyright 2008 by United Press International
Related stories:
New software will help children design their own games and aid learning
Pioneering software that enables children to design their own computer games could significantly improve the teaching of literacy, design and ICT skills in our schools.
Study urges early emphasis on science
What do you want to be when you grow up? Eighth-graders asked this question in 1988 were two to three times more likely to earn science and engineering degrees in college if their answer was a science-related career. The National Research Council recently reported the United States is slipping in its leadership in science and technology fields and recommended "vastly improving" K-12 education in math and science.
Study explores why boys are falling behind girls in school
Thirty years ago, boys, not girls, were the high performers in schools. Today, test scores, grades and dropout rates show boys are achieving at levels far below girls, and an international study that includes the University of Florida is yielding insights that may explain why.
Synchrotron x-ray experiments in the world's strongest magnetic field
A combination of high magnetic fields and "quantum beam" such as synchrotron x-rays or neutrons is one of most powerful experimental means to examine the magnetic and the electronic properties of strongly correlated electron systems and of functional materials for spintronics applications.
Nanotech pioneer, buckyball discoverer, Nobel laureate Richard Smalley dead at 62
Nobel laureate Richard Smalley, co-discoverer of the buckyball and one of the best-known and respected scientists in nanotechnology, died today in Houston after a long battle with cancer. He was 62.
Asian countries gain prominence in science and technology as US loses ground
The global landscape for science and technology is changing, with increased competition for resources and recognition. That's beginning to look like bad news for the innovative edge the United States has long enjoyed.
"Will the United States own the technology of the future? Probably not all of it, and only if we compete harder to maintain our current position," said Diana Hicks, professor and chair of Georgia Institute of Technology's School of Public Policy.
Women want bargains but men prefer brand names
Women are better bargain hunters than men, with male shoppers seeking known brand names when deciding which store to go to, a Massey University study of consumers has found.
Risks for painkiller abuse do not outweigh benefits in chronic pain
As controversy swirls about proper clinical use of opioids and other potent pain medications, research reported at the American Pain Society annual meeting shows that, contrary to widespread beliefs, less than 3 percent of patients with no history of drug abuse who are prescribed opioids for chronic pain will show signs of possible drug abuse or dependence.