Daily Walk Gets Brain Functions Moving Along the Right Path

If you don't exercise because you're not the kind of person who relishes a hard workout, put your mind at ease — and start walking.

Studies have reported that strenuous aerobic exercise improves body and brain functions, but August 2010 research finds that moderate aerobic exercise also helps — even for people who had not engaged in much physical activity in the prior six months.

In the University of Illinois study, researchers followed a group of 65 adults (ages 55-80). None of them previously had regular fitness routines. They walked for 40 minutes, three times a week for six months.

The study found both their test scores on memory and their ability to pay attention improved. Some of them couldn't walk more than 100 meters when they started, according to researcher Art Kramer.

"None of them were ever going to win medals for speed," he said, adding that some ended up jogging, but the walkers averaged 17-minute miles. "That's about as brisk as it got."

A common symptom of aging is loss of coordination between various regions of the brain. Some complex cognitive skills — multitasking, making decisions, solving problems, setting priorities and following instructions — fall to more than one part of the brain. Kramer said connectivity "significantly" improved between regions of the brain in the walkers.

Walking is the most popular form of exercise in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but only 48 percent of adults do enough walking. The U.S. government guidelines recommend that adults do 150 minutes of moderately intense physical activity (brisk walking, biking) a week to help prevent chronic illness. That's 30 minutes more than in the study.

"More is always better," Kramer added, "but remember this kind of exercise is free."