Walking and cognition - Women's Health Update

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, May, 2002 by Tori Hudson

The cognitive performance in 5,925 women 65 years and older were recruited for the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. Cognitive decline was defined as a drop of three points or more in the Mini-Mental State Examination. Physical activity was measured according to a self report on how many blocks were walked per week and an estimate of the total number of kilocalories expended per week.

The rates of cognitive decline among women in the highest to lowest quartile of blocks walked each week were 17%, 18%, 22%, and 24%, respectively. The results that were based on weekly expenditure of kilocalories were similar. For every 10 blocks walked each day, women were able to lower their odds of cognitive decline by 13%.

Comment: We can add benefits to cognitive function and slowing rates of cognitive decline to the long list of benefits of exercise- even simple exercise such as walking. I tell my patients that there is no drug, no vitamin, no mineral, and no herb that has as many health benefits both in prevention and in treatment, as does exercise: it is a proven anti-depressant, reduces the risk of osteoporosis and fractures, heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer, osteoarthritis and can be used as an effective treatment modality in the treatment of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, elevated blood sugar and arthritis (especially in the knee), and PMS.

Yaffe K, Barnes D, Nevitt M, et al. A prospective study of physical activity and cognitive decline in elderly women: women who walk. Arch Intern Med. 2001;161:1703-1708.