Darla Castelli

Physically fit children appear to do better in classroom

The health benefits of exercise -- across the lifespan -- have been well documented. More recently, scientists have begun to demonstrate that exercise also may improve cognitive functioning in older adults. But what about children? Are physically fit kids better suited to compete not only on the ball field, but in the classroom as well? University of Illinois researchers have been exploring these and other related questions in a series of studies during the past two years, and preliminary results indicate a correlation.