Students who get recess behave better in school, according to a recent study published in Pediatrics.

Researchers studied an equal number of girls and boys nationally ages 8 to 9 and found that a break of 15 minutes or more was associated with better classroom behavior as judged by the teachers, according to the study.

“Many schoolchildren are given less free time and fewer physical outlets at school, because many school districts responded to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 by reducing time committed to recess,” the study concluded. “The present study illustrates that this trend especially affects children who come from disadvantaged backgrounds.”

Children with little or no recess were more likely to be black or Hispanic, live in the city, attend public school and come from families with lower income and less parental education, according to the study.

“For many of these children, recess may be the only opportunity for them to practice their social skills with other children,” the study stated.

Recess is important because it provides children with discretionary time and an opportunity to engage in physical activity, the study noted. The results of the study suggests that many children may not meet the National Association for Sport and Physical Education recommendations and are at risk for becoming overweight.

The study concluded that recess may play an important role in the learning, social development and health of children in elementary school. But it said that more research is needed to explore the appropriate balance between structured time and recess/physical activity for healthy child development and to assess the effect of no-recess policies on students’ behavior and academic achievement.