Vanguard Finland — Integrating Physical Activity into Finnish Schools and Academic Classrooms

A growing number of research studies is showing that physical activity not only enhances our physical health, it also positively impacts our mental health. And this is true for schoolchildren as well as adults. In fact, something as simple as getting a certain number of steps per day has shown to positively impact the mental health of students. Here with details on this is Professor Celia Álvarez-Bueno of the University of Castilla-La Mancha in Spain. 

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While there have been many studies on how physical activity in schools impacts the academic performance, health, and social-emotional behavior of students, there has been very little research on the reactions of students themselves to experiencing physical activity in their classrooms. Here with a study that did just that is Professor Jaimie McMullen of the University of Hawai’i at Manoa.

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Over the past two decades, numerous scientific studies have shown how physical activity increases academic performance in schoolchildren. But sometimes the studies are so technical, it’s difficult to grasp what’s being said. Here with a simple explanation of the role of physical activity in improving students’ academic performance is Professor Lauren Raine of Northeastern University in Boston.

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Whether in the wild or captivity, as part of their normal, regular behavior, great apes will hold on to a vine, raise themselves in the air, and spin themselves around and around at high speeds until they become dizzy. What does this have to do with our own evolution and behavior, and what are its implications for children, mental health, and learning? Here to discuss all this is Professor Adriano Lameira of The University of Warwick in Coventry, England.

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UP ON OUR FEET is a production of the American Sports Institute.

Research shows that yoga not only positively impacts our bodies, it also has the same effect on our brains. What’s more, people of all ages and ability levels can practice and enjoy its benefits. Someone who is doing extensive research on yoga is Professor Neha Gothe of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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UP ON OUR FEET is a production of the American Sports Institute.

For some time, we've known that physical activity is good for both our body and brain. Now, emerging research is just beginning to show us something else: It may not be just a matter of being physically active itself, or a matter of what types of physical activity you do, but WHERE you actually do your physical activity may be an important and determining factor in the benefits you get out of it. Here to discuss this is Professor David Lubans of The University of Newcastle in Australia.

UP ON OUR FEET is a production of the American Sports Institute.

While we would mostly rather not, just about everyone experiences anxiety. And people get anxious for all kinds of reasons. Some anxieties are minor that we get through fairly well, and some take hold of us in potentially debilitating ways. At the same time, emerging research is indicating that being physically active may offer a way to not only treat anxiety, but limit it to occurring ever-so-rarely, if at all. Here with insights on this is Associate Professor Dr. Maria Åberg of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden who has conducted promising research on the impact of physical activity on anxiety.

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Over the past 30 to 40 years, research in neuroscience has conclusively shown how physical activity positively impacts cognition, how our brains work. More recently, studies are showing the same thing with music; that it, too, has a positive effect on the brain and how it works. And most recently, we’re learning that physical activity and music TOGETHER can have a positive effect on the brain that is more pronounced than either activity by itself. Here to discuss this is Professor Psyche Loui of Northeastern University.

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For most people, exercise is something they know is good for them, but don't have the time, motivation, or inclination to make it a priority. They just don't see it as being essential to them. However, research shows that exercise is, in fact, essential to our very existence as human beings. Professor Herman Pontzer of Duke University explains why exercise and all forms of physical activity are, indeed, essential to our brains, bodies, and social-emotional conditions.
(Note: Due to a technical connection problem while recording this interview, every so often, a word is omitted from the audio. We apologize for this.)

To learn more about the American Sports Institute and The Arete School of Sport Culture and Wellness, go to: www.americansportsinstitute.org.

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In addition to the body and brain being integrated through physical activity, they are also connected through diet. What we eat has a direct impact on how our brains function. Professor Fernando Gómez-Pinilla of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) is a leading expert on how the body and brain are integrated through diet.

To learn more about the American Sports Institute and The Arete School of Sport Culture and Wellness, go to: www.americansportsinstitute.org.

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UP ON OUR FEET is a production of the American Sports Institute.