INNOVATIONS IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION FOR ENHANCING FITNESS LEVELS AND ITS IMPACT

ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

Dr. Vinod Bakshi

ABSTRACT                                                                                                                                     

Physical education has been substantially reduced and in some cases completely eliminated in response to pressures to improve academic test scores. Evidence shows that students who are physically active and fit tend to perform better in the classroom thus daily physical education does not adversely affect academic performance. Fitness is defined as the ability to perform strenuous activity without excessive fatigue showing evidence of traits that limit the risks of developing diseases and disorders which affect a person’s functional capacity. The objectives of this study were: 1) To assess the obesity and fitness levels of students in educational institutions 2) To compare the fitness levels with academic performance using standardized test scores.