Children's Yoga

Yoga and Cognitive Abilities in School Children

Physical activity has previously been associated with better test scores and improved focus and attention among school children. Now this study, published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, looked at how yoga compares to physical activity at influencing cognitive abilities in children. In the study, researchers followed 200 Indian children aged 7-9, measuring markers of cognition including attention, concentration, spatial and verbal abilities, and abstract thinking. Researchers concluded that there was no significant difference in cognitive performance between the two groups. This would suggest that yoga, like other forms of physical activity, can lead produce beneficial effects school aged children's cognitive abilities and performance. Chaya MS, Nagendra H, Selvam S, Kurpad A, Srinivasan K. Effect of Yoga on Cognitive Abilities In Schoolchildren from a Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Background: A Randomized Controlled Study. J Altern Complement Med. 2012 Aug 21. [Epub ahead of print]