Physical Activity and Academic Achievement Across the Curriculum (A+PAAC)

There is currently considerable interest in both improving academic achievement (No Child
Left Behind) and reducing the rates of obesity and its associated negative health
consequences in elementary school students. Increased physical activity (PA) offers a
potential intervention to address both issues. Evidence is available which suggests an
association of PA with both academic achievement and obesity, and an association between
obesity and academic achievement.

To provide increased PA while maintaining academic instruction time, we developed a program
we call "Physical Activity Across the Curriculum" (PAAC) in which regular classroom teachers
were trained to deliver academic lessons using moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA)
for 20 minutes/d, 5 days/wk. This study is looking to compare academic achievement between
students in elementary schools that participate in academic lessons taught through MVPA
(PAAC) to students that do not (CON).