Being fit as a child, the speed of processing information is higher as an adult.
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — Routine physical activity not only brings benefits to physical health, but also mental health of children. Children who are often active tend to have sharp minds for decades.
This was revealed in a recent study in Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. The study, which began in 1985, involved 1,200 Australian participants and lasted 30 years. At the beginning of the study, the ages of the participants ranged from 7-15 years.
At the start of the study, the participants underwent a series of tests to measure their lung and heart fitness, strength, and endurance. The research team also measured the chest-to-hip ratio of the participants.
After 30 years, the research team found a correlation between fitness and waist and hip radio in childhood and thinking skills as adults. Individuals with high levels of fitness and low waist-to-hip ratio in childhood tend to show better thinking skills.
In addition, the research team also got some surprising findings. The research team revealed that being physically fit as a child was associated with higher scores on information processing speed and attention. However, the condition of physical fitness in childhood has no impact on memory.
“This may be because cognitive functions related to processing speed and attention begin to decline in middle age, whereas memory in general only begins to decline later (in older age),” explains researcher Michele Callisaya, PhD, of the National Center for Healthy Aging at Peninsula Health. and Monash University, as reported by WebMDWednesday (29/6/2022).
These findings again highlight the importance of exercise for health. And to get the most optimal health benefits, exercise needs to be started from childhood. Good habits such as exercise that are accustomed to since childhood also tend to continue to settle into adulthood.
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