News : Study: Chewing Gum Improves Math Skills

A study conducted by researchers at the Baylor College of Medicine and sponsored by (unsurprisingly) the Wrigley Science Institute has shown that gum chewing apparently improves math scores.We all knew that chewing gum could be used to ehlp those wanting to quit smoking, ease anxiety, reduce tooth decay (assuming sugarless gum), but improving math scores?

The study included 108 students, 52 girls and 56 boys, ages 13 to 16. They were divided into two groups that would either chew sugarfree gum during math class, math homework and math tests, or not. After 14 weeks, all the students took a math test.Those who had chewed gum showed a 3% increase in their scores, while their final grades were also “significantly better” than non-chewers.

While there isn't a final conclusion on "why," the leader of the study, Craig Johnston, PhD, an instructor of pediatrics-nutrition at the Baylor College of Medicine, said:“Some researchers speculate that a decreased level of stress leads to better focus and concentration, which may explain the relationship between gum chewing and increased focus and concentration.”

He added that the study “demonstrates the potential benefits of chewing gum on academic performance in a real-life, classroom setting with teenagers.”I wouldn't expect any major changes in allowing gum in schools; improvement or no, kids have this nasty habit of sticking it on the bottom of desks and other places, and popping gum in class as well. More study is needed. Oh, in case you weren't sure, the gum given to the study participants was Wrigley's gum.

Submitted by Michael Santo on Sat, 2009-04-25 19:25