Kids who walk or bike to school (or even skateboard, presumably) perform better once they arrive, according to new research out of Denmark.
Business Insider points us
to the study making the following claim: "Children who were driven to school performed less well in a test measuring concentration levels than those who had walked or cycled."
The study, which includes a compelling sample size of nearly 20,000 students, was originally intended to examine the effects of eating breakfast and lunch on academic achievement. It instead revealed the relatively stronger effects of morning exercise.
"The exercise one uses to transport to school is reflected in the level of concentration one has circa four hours later," said researcher Niels Egelund.
Of course, the US is not Denmark, and must contend with the unique challenges of a firmly entrenched car culture. Noreen C. McDonald of the University of North Carolina notes
that the number of K-12 students in the US walking or biking to school has decreased by nearly 30% since 1969, and that over 75% of school commutes are now taken up in private vehicles.
Via Business Insider