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Students work out at Etobicoke’s James S. Bell public school. ANDREW WALLACE/TORONTO STAR

Instead of studying after the morning announcements, students at a public high school in Canada have a 20-minute workout.  This new idea is being implemented after a growing body of research is showing the ties between physical activity and improved learning.

Starting three years ago, the program was funded by various grants for students with behavioral problems.  The teacher at the school provided gym clothes, running shoes and deodorant. She even worked out with the students.  After a time, the results blew her away. Kids who once disrespected her were now running beside her, competing with her to run faster.    Many lost weight and quit smoking.  And this is not even mentioning the academic improvements.  Whether it was test scores or higher reading levels, everyone had improved in some way.

A professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, said that a study he conducted found a correlation between regular, vigorous physical activity and less psychological distress in teens, such as depression and anxiety.

With the success of this program, schools across Canada and the United States have created similar ones.  Pretty soon, treadmills might be a familiar sight in many schools across the world.

Tags: Canada, Public Schools, University of Toronto, Workout