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Effects Of A Comprehensive School Health Program On Elementary Student Academic Achievement, Erin E. Centeio, Cheryl Somers, E. Whitney G. Moore, Noel Kulik, Alex Garn, Nate Mccaughtry

Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

BACKGROUND: Improving the academic achievement of youth in the U.S. has been an area of interest for many decades and has been a critical indicator of future success of youth. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a comprehensive school physical activity and healthy eating program on 5th grade students’ academic achievement, specifically reading and math. METHODS: In total, 628 (intervention: 377, 54% female; comparison: 251, 49% female) 5th grade children participated across the six schools in a yearlong comprehensive health intervention, completing curriculum-based academic achievement measures at two-time points. RESULTS: Results showed …