Fit Kids Have Better Language Skills: Link Between Exercise and Reading

Want your kids to be better at reading? Make sure that they're getting their exercise. Scientists have found that children who are physically fit have faster and more robust neuro-electrical brain responses during reading than less physically fit peers.

In order to take a look at the brain function of children, the researchers used electroencephalography (EEG). They placed an electrode cap on a child's scalp to capture some of the electrical pulses associated with brain activity. The researchers then took a look at the wave patterns created on the reader, called "event related potentials" (ERPs). More specifically, the researchers examined a brain waveform known as the N400, since it's associated with grammatical rules of a sentence.

"All we know is there is something different about higher and lower fit kids," said Charles Hillman, one of the researchers, in a news release. "Now whether that difference is caused by fitness or maybe some third variable that (affects) both fitness and language processing, we don't know yet."

In fact, the researchers found that children who were more fit had higher amplitude N400 and P600 waves than their less-fit peers when reading normal or nonsensical sentences. In addition, N400 had a shorter latency in children who were more fit. This suggests that they were able to process the same information more quickly.

"Our study shows that the brain function of higher fit kids is different, in the sense that they appear to be able to better allocate resources in the brain towards aspects of cognition that support reading comprehension," said Hillman in a news release.

Currently, more research needs to be conducted on why kids who are more fit have improved cognition. That said, this study joins a growing body of evidence that reveals a strong link between fitness and healthy brain function.

The findings are published in the journal Brain and Cognition.