Study shows children running one-mile a day improves their lives

 

Back in 2015, I had a post up about how a primary school in Scotland had introduced an exercise routine for their pupils where they ran/walked roughly a mile each day. The concept was soon copied by other schools in the UK.

A recent study has now shown that children who follow the daily exercise routine not only get leaner but also establish daily habits.

Naomi Brooks, a senior lecturer in sport at the University of Stirling said... “Children often learn about healthy eating and the benefits of physical activity at school, but the kids who are doing the Daily Mile aren’t just learning it in their minds; they are learning: ‘This is something I do every day, as part of my day, and this is how it makes me feel..’”

There are also other long-term consequences such as higher bone density which can be a health factor throughout their life.

According to an article in the Guardian.... "Late childhood and early adolescence are critical times for laying down bone, which reaches its peak density in our 20s, declining thereafter. The higher your bone density during youth, the lower your risk of fractures and osteoporosis in later life. The idea is that we try to put as much bone as possible ‘in the bank’ as youngsters. The mechanical stimulation of our body weight going through our bones, muscles and tendons when we jump up and down, stimulates our bone cells to grow and lay down new bone.”

The full article in the Guardian can be seen HERE