Praphul Joshi publishes article in the Journal of Physical Education and Sport

Praphul Joshi, PhD, MPH, BDS, assistant professor, Graduate Programs in Public Health, has published an article in the Journal of Physical Education and Sport, which compares the relationship between fitness levels and academic performance of school children.

Increased emphasis in boosting academic achievement in schools has led to declining amounts of time allotted for physical activity. Studying the impact of physical fitness on academic achievement is essential to understanding the role physical activity may have on academic performance. Researchers conducted fitness testing on 19,695 students in public schools in Louisiana. Testing for physical fitness included the assessments of body mass index (BMI), cardiovascular endurance, upper body strength and flexibility. The fitness levels were correlated with academic scores in math and reading/comprehension using standardized test scores. Results indicated that students with greatest amount of physical fitness and those who were not obese/overweight had the highest academic achievement levels. The study findings provide a growing body of evidence to lawmakers and school administrators to emphasize the importance of physical activity in schools. By intervening childhood obesity schools will benefit from students who are physically fit, mentally and socially healthy, and academically well prepared.
Reference: Journal of Physical Education and Sport ® (JPES), 11(4), Art 58, pp.376 - 382, 2011

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