Chewing gum boosts maths scores, says study funded by Wrigley

Some things are worth taking note of… especially in Singapore context, I think this one does!
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CHICAGO: Researchers in the United States have announced that chewing gum may boost academic performance.

A team led by Dr Craig Johnston at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston found that students who chewed gum during mathematics class had higher scores on a standardised maths test after 14 weeks – and better grades at the end of the term – than classmates who did not chew gum.

The study was funded by chewing-gum maker Wrigley.

Many US schools ban gum because the sticky chaw ends up under chairs or tables.

But Mr Gil Leveille, executive director of the Wrigley Science Institute – a research arm of the company – said many customers said chewing gum helped them stay focused. Four years ago, the firm started the institute to probe the claims.

The researchers at Baylor studied four maths classes with 108 students aged between 13 and 16 years old from a charter school in Houston, Texas, that serves mostly low-income Hispanic students.

Half received free sugar-free gum to chew during class and tests, and while doing homework. They chewed at least one stick of gum 86 per cent of the time in maths class and 36 per cent of the time while doing homework.

The other half went without.

After 14 weeks, the gum chewers had a 3 per cent increase in their maths scores on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills achievement test – a statistically significant change, said the researchers, who presented their findings at an American Society for Nutrition meeting in New Orleans.

The gum-chewers also got better final grades in their classes.

The researchers found no difference in maths scores between the two groups in another test called the Woodcock Johnson III Tests of Achievement.

Another Wrigley-funded study found that college students given difficult computer tasks in a lab had lower levels of the stress-hormone cortisol when chewing gum.

According to Mr Leveille, chewing gum helps reduce stress so students can do better. Dr Johnston said some research shows a spike in blood flow in the brain during chewing.

– REUTERS

From myPaper, My News, World – Wednesday, 29-April-2009

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