Forget about preventing obesity and reducing the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, getting your kids to exercise on a regular basis can actually make him smarter.
According to a new study, exercise can make a child’s brain bigger. Translation: If you want a smarter kid, use your own brain and encourage him to get moving… and if you are really smart, you will run a few laps with him.
This, according to researchers at the University of Illinois.
The new study consisted of two parts: The first featured 9 and 10-year-olds, who were divided into two groups, one deemed “fit” and the other “not so fit.” After running on treadmills for an extended period of time, the children were given cognitive tests to determine their ability to filter out unnecessary information and pay attention to relevant cues.
Researchers say the results were stunning. They showed that the basal ganglia regions of the human brain (the part of the brain that helps maintain attention and coordinate actions and thoughts) increased in size and appeared to “enhance neurocognition” in kids. In other words, in addition to strengthening bones and increasing muscle mass, exercise may also build the brain.
The second part of the experiment involved a different group of 9 and 10-year-old children, who were also divided by fitness levels. Like the first group, these kids exercised and then had their brains scanned using MRI technology. However, rather than test cognitive ability, the children were given tests that focused on complex memory, an activity associated with the hippocampus structure in the brain’s medial temporal lobes. Similar to the first part of the experiment, the fittest kids had the larger hippocampi.
So what does this mean for your kids? According to researchers, the study proves that there are many benefits to regular exercise, and as parents, we should encourage our kids to get up and move, even if it means going with them.
Do you exercise with your kids?
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