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Physical Activity In High School Classrooms: A Promising Avenue For Future Research, Barbara Fenesi, Jeffrey D. Graham, Madeline Crichton, Michelle Ogrodnik, Jasmyn Skinner

Neuroscience Institute Publications

Adolescence represents a sensitive period whereby lifestyle factors such as physical activity can have profound, long-lasting effects on development and later life habits. However, adolescence constitutes a period of frequent sedentary behaviour. Among children, integrating physical activity into elementary school classrooms has been shown to reduce sedentary behaviour and improve academic achievement and overall physical and mental health. However, this promising area of research has not extended to adolescents and high school classrooms. In this paper, we describe the benefits of conducting research on the impact of physically active high school classrooms, and highlight the challenges and potential misconceptions associated …