Fit students get better marks in French and Maths

Experts at the University of Geneva have been looking into the impact of

fitness on learning outcomes by observing 193 students, aged 8 to 12.

By studying both their grades and fitness levels, they found a

connection between improved cardiorespiratory fitness and getting better

grades in both maths and French.

The link – which was found to be indirect – suggests that educators

should put emphasis on activities that improve executive function and

cognitive flexibility when creating timetables.

Marc Yangüez, a researcher at the University of Geneva, said: “This is

our ability to inhibit intrusive or irrelevant behaviour or thoughts.

"The second is cognitive flexibility, which often called multitasking,

and refers to our ability to flexibly move between tasks or responses

based on task demands.

"Finally, the third is working memory, which is our ability to maintain

information in our minds and manipulate it."

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