Study: Exercise, Fitness May Boost Grades

Girls who are physically active and boys who are fit also have higher grades, a study from Sweden suggests. The study included 232 students. Their average age was 16. They wore devices to track their activity for four days, including one weekend day. On average, the girls spent 69 minutes a day in moderate or vigorous activity. Moderate exercise included hiking and skateboarding. Vigorous exercise included soccer and running. Boys were active about 81 minutes a day. Researchers looked at exercise in relationship to grades. They adjusted for several other factors that can affect grades. They found that girls who were more active also had higher grades. Researchers also tested fitness. This did not affect girls’ grades, but boys who were more fit had higher grades. The amount of exercise was not linked with boys’ grades. The study was in the Journal of Pediatrics.