Walking 8,800 steps per day could boost brain health, a study suggests
People who walked more consistently performed better on tests measuring attention, focus and decision-making, measures of cognitive health, a new study suggests.
TL;DR
- A study tracked over 3,000 adults using wearable devices to measure daily step counts.
- Participants who walked more consistently performed better on cognitive tests measuring attention, focus, and decision-making.
- Every additional 1,000 steps per day was linked to higher cognitive scores.
- Walking approximately 8,875 steps per day showed better results on brain function tests compared to averaging 5,000 steps.
- Both moderate (8,875 steps) and high (14,161 steps) activity groups scored significantly better cognitively than the low activity group (5,108 steps).
- Researchers suggest walking may improve brain health by increasing blood flow and nutrient delivery to the brain.
- No significant differences in blood pressure were found between the activity groups.
- The study cautions that the link between walking and cognitive improvement does not prove causation, as other lifestyle factors were not accounted for.