Exercising Before School May Lower ADHD Symptoms in Kids

Indulging in physical exercise before school helps lower symptoms of ADHD in children who are at a higher risk.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common attention deficit disorders that start in childhood and continue into adulthood. Those dealing with this neurobehavioral disorder face trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors or they are overly active. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 11 percent of the children aged between 4-17 years were diagnosed with ADHD in 2011. Boys were more likely to be diagnosed with the disorder.

A latest study, led by the Michigan State University in collaboration with the University of Vermont, found that offering aerobic activities daily before school helps young children at greater risk of ADHD lower symptoms in classrooms and at home. Children with ADHD display signs of inattentiveness, moodiness and difficulty socializing with others.

"Early studies suggest that physical activity can have a positive effect on children who suffer from ADHD," said Alan Smith, chairperson of MSU's Department of Kinesiology, who conducted the research along with lead author Betsy Hoza, a psychologist from the University of Vermont.

Study conducted earlier by MSU researchers revealed that elementary students exhibited a dramatic improvement in brain function and math and reading skills on being exposed to physical activity. But not much is known on how consistent exercise helps improve the symptoms and impairments that are linked with the disorder.

The current study, conducted over a 12-week period, looked at 200 early elementary school students right from kindergarten to the second grade that either had symptoms of ADHD or didn't. As a part of the study, the researchers randomly picked students to take part in a group that completed moderate to vigorous physical acidity each day before school or another group that were completed more sedentary classroom-type activities.

"Although our findings indicated that all participants showed improvements, children with ADHD risk receiving exercise benefited across a broader range of outcomes than those receiving the sedentary activities," Smith said.

The researchers suggest the need for further studies to know more about the frequency and amount of physical activity that offer benefits to children. They reveal that the effects of exercise may be different based on the child's age.

"Despite the number of remaining questions, physical activity appears to be a promising intervention method for ADHD with well-known benefits to health overall," he said. "This gives schools one more good reason to incorporate physical activity into the school day."

The finding was documented in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology.