Scientists have found a link between daily walking and the ability to concentrate and make decisions. But how many steps should a person take each day not only to maintain physical fitness, but also to keep the mind clear?
اضافة اعلان
According to Scientific Reports, researchers from Baylor College of Medicine in the United States analyzed the relationship between daily physical activity and various cognitive functions the abilities that help people process information, concentrate and make decisions.
The study analyzed data from 3,093 adults aged 18 to 93 who participated in the “All of Us” study. Information about their physical activity was collected using Fitbit fitness trackers between 2009 and 2023.
Based on participants’ average daily step counts, the researchers divided them into three groups: those who took approximately 5,100, 8,900 and 14,200 steps per day. Participants then completed tests measuring attention, the ability to ignore distracting information, preferences for immediate versus delayed rewards, and the ability to recognize emotions from facial expressions.
The researchers found that people who walked an average of 9,000 steps or more per day performed slightly better on the first three tasks than less active participants. These differences remained even after accounting for age, education level and several other factors. However, the differences were small, and the ability to recognize emotions was not significantly associated with step count.
The researchers also found that lower systolic blood pressure may partly explain the relationship between daily step count and performance on decision-making tests. However, this factor explained only about 5% of the observed association.
Scientists suggest that the link between physical activity and cognitive performance may be explained by improved glucose metabolism, reduced inflammation and increased brain adaptability. These mechanisms, however, require further research.
The researchers stressed that the study does not prove that walking itself improves brain function, as participants’ cognitive abilities were assessed only once. Therefore, it is impossible to determine how those abilities changed over time. The findings also do not establish the optimal number of daily steps needed to maintain attention.
Source: Al-Ghad.
