Is the amount of time spent for physical activity linked to academic success‪?‬

Throughout my life I heard the famous phrase "healthy body, healthy mind." At
least in Germany this phrase is quite common. But is there really a relationship, or do
people just say it? In this context some might argue that being physical active does not
contribute to the overall health at all. It is more what we eat that matters. They are right to
some extent. However, according to Chryss Cada, staying in shape is always a balance
between exercise and nutrition (Cada, 2003). Both physical activity and a good diet
contribute to a healthy body and, according to the famous phrase, to a healthy mind. To
find out if a healthy body really helps a student perform better academically I examined
what impact physical activity has on the academic success of students. I believe that there
is a positive relationship between physical activity and academic success. The literature is full of opinions that support my assumption. For example,
Douglas H. Heath, a professor emeritus of the Psychology Department of Haverford
College, states that success in general is caused by many factors such as how many
hobbies, interests, and jobs a student has, or who is active in extracurricular activities
(Becker, 1992). A more relevant statement to this topic comes from Jim MacKinnon, the
athletic director at Starpoint, who points out that "Kids who go through the athletic
program learn discipline, and that carries over into their studies. It carries over not only
into academics; it carries over into your life." (Dicesare, 2002) Sheila Boles, Hoggards
High School athletics director, even says: "I don't think there's anything that can teach
you more about life than athletics success and failure and how to handle them both
graciously." (Grady, 2002) Many other authors share this opinion. They contribute that
athletes have higher GPA’s (Hickman, 2002), or are more likely to find themselves in
supervisory roles in the later working environment than their non-athletic peers
(Schouten, 2002). Sport programs even help students develop self-confidence, time
management skills and interpersonal communication (Molbeck, 2003). Furthermore,
physical activity may strengthen competitive drive in non-athletic areas, boost self
confidence, and reinforce the discipline necessary for academic success (Robst, 2000). [...]