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McCristal Scholar: Dr. Charles Hillman

Dr. Charles Hillman

Dr. Charles Hillman of the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health addressed the Fall College Meeting of the College of Applied Health Sciences as the 2012 King James McCristal Distinguished Scholar. In his remarks, Dr. Hillman, whose recent research has focused on physical fitness and cognitive performance in children, noted that for the first time in the history of the United States, it is expected that today’s youth will be less healthy and have shorter lives than their parents’ generation. His extensive research program on aerobic fitness and brain health has demonstrated, among other things, that children who are more physically fit have greater ability to ignore distractions and attend to relevant stimuli when performing cognitive tasks, and they are able to process information more quickly. In addition, his MRI studies revealed that the basal ganglia of children who are physically fit are larger in volume than those who are not. This area of the brain is associated with cognitive control.

Much of Dr. Hillman’s data was generated during the FIT Kids research project, which consisted of an afterschool program of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and nutrition education.

Established in 1988 in honor of the former AHS dean, the King James McCristal Distinguished Scholar Award is the College’s most prestigious recognition of faculty scholarly achievement.

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