Children with higher levels of physical fitness show signs of having healthier and quicker brains according to new research published in Frontiers of Human Neuroscience.
Scientists looked at how aerobic fitness related to white matter fibres in the brain which allow connections between different regions of the brain and the fitter you are, the more efficient those connections.
It is also believed that physical activity can improve the volume of grey brain matter that leads to improvements in memory and intelligence.
The research team are running a 5 year trial in which children will be randomly assigned an exercise regime or control condition to see whether the integrity of the white matter improves amongst those who do sports.
Other studies have found that children who do more physical activity improves cognition and brain health.
This has wide ranging implications because the unstoppable rise of sedentary activities such as sitting in front of TVs, computers, tablets etc does not encourage kids to get out and run around.
Keeping your brain healthy
It comes as no surprise that research shows that the more physically active you are, the longer your brain stays healthy and active too. Â In fact I recently wrote a blog summarising current strategies to keep yourself healthy in older age with particular emphasis on avoiding alzheimers (http://www.lucksyardclinic.com/keep-brain-healthy/)
In the light of all this research it seems like a good idea to keep your body and brain active and healthy from childhood onwards.
