Researchers have long linked physical fitness to higher academic performance.
But sorry, bookworms — that association may only be in math, according to new research from Northeastern University.
“We found that in 8- to 10-year-old children, those who were more physically fit had higher scores in math and on measures of executive function,” Northeastern University professor Lauren Raine says.
“But we did not see a relationship between better fitness and reading or spelling,” Raine continues.
The results were documented in the paper “Aerobic fitness and academic achievement: Disentangling the indirect role of executive functions and intelligence,” which appears in the January issue of the journal Psychology of Sports and Exercise.
The association between physical fitness and higher academics has been documented by studies since at least 2003.
But Raine explained that these studies have been highly variable.
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