Let Your Kids Walk Or Cycle To School - It's Good For Them, Says Captain Obvious In New Study

[Amadeus]

Exercise before school improves concentration: study

 

http://www.mb.com.ph...entration-study

 

COPENHAGEN (AFP) - Cycling or walking to school increases a child's ability to concentrate in the classroom, the results of a Danish study published Friday showed.

 

Children who were driven to school, or who took public transport, performed less well in a test measuring concentration levels, than those who had walked or cycled, a joint study by researchers at the universities in Copenhagen and Aarhus found.

 

"The exercise one uses to transport oneself to school is reflected in the level of concentration one has circa four hours later," said Niels Egelund, a co-author of the report.

 

The results surprised the researchers, as their hypothesis originally focused on the effects of eating breakfast and lunch on pupils' ability to concentrate.

 

"The results showed that having breakfast and lunch has an impact, but not very much compared to having exercised," Egelund told AFP.

 

"As a third-grade pupil, if you exercise and bike to school, your ability to concentrate increases to the equivalent of someone half a year further in their studies," he added.

 

In the survey, taken by 19,527 pupils aged five to 19 years, participants were asked about their exercise habits and were then given a basic test measuring their concentration.

 

"Most people know the feeling of being refreshed after having exercised, but it is surprising that the effect lasts for so long," Egelund said.

 

 

 

So, there you have it - driving little Billy to school in mum's Chelsea tractor not only kills fluffy bunnies through pollution but also means Billy will stay dumber than his cycling class mates... I never understood why not more pupils walk or cycle on the island - beautiful clean air, not that much traffic and short journeys - just no need to drive everywhere!

[Slim]

Same also applies to commuters I'm sure.

[quilp]

Couldn't agree more with this study.

After a good breakfast, my Ma would see me out the door saying, "off you go lad, by the time you get there you'll be wide-awake". In my short pants from Crellins Hill to St. Marys, winter and summer. There and back at lunch too.

There's mostly no excuse for taking ones kids to school in the car. It's implied that the roads are less safe these days but in my day, lollipop-persons and zebra/pelican-crossings were thin on the ground and the standard driving-test was less rigorous than today.

Same when i attended Balla and St. Ninians/Park Road....

[manxy]

Should be interesting seeing a 100 or so child cyclists in each school dashing through the various roads/traffick on their way to school

I presume that there's somewhere to lock them up as well? (bikes-not kids)

(Just asking)

[Amadeus]

Should be interesting seeing a 100 or so child cyclists in each school dashing through the various roads/traffick on their way to school

I presume that there's somewhere to lock them up as well? (bikes-not kids)

(Just asking)

Shouldn't be a problem at all - the more pupils cycle, the fewer cars will be in the are of the school. Put in a bike shed and Bob's your uncle!

[Slim]

Should be interesting seeing a 100 or so child cyclists in each school dashing through the various roads/traffick on their way to school

I presume that there's somewhere to lock them up as well? (bikes-not kids)

(Just asking)

 

There is a really nice bike park at Ballakermeen, but the rules make it virtually unusable so it sits empty.