Cap Cod – Staff Writer
What if an hour-long game of tag each day not only made your children healthier, but also raised their test scores?New researchsuggests it can. A soon-to-be published study of school children who participated in an afterschool exercise program in Urbana, Illinois showed noticeable changes after nine months of increased physical activity. For the study, one group of children played tag and other vigorous games for 70 minutes a day. The control group continued their normal activities. Neither group changed their diet and both groups were tested for fitness, body composition and cognitive skills before the program began. At the end of nine months the children who exercised showed great improvement in their scores on computerized tests that measure how well a child pays attention and processes information.(more)