Study: Jogging Outside Can Make You Stupid What has always been
known as a cornerstone of good health and exercise, a new study
reveals that jogging outside may actually have some detrimental
effects on the brain. While it is known to clear the mind,
jogging outside in busy, traffic-filled areas could actually
cause mental decline. According to Belgian researchers from the
Vrije Universiteit Brussel, people who live in a city and
exercise outdoors have higher levels of inflammation and lower
scores on cognitive tests than those who jog in the suburbs. In
a study, they separated exercisers into two groups who exercised
three times a week for 12 weeks, between midday and 1 PM. One
group alternated and walking in a busy, urban area – the other
in a rural location. The researchers then gave the joggers a
test to measure their response time and attention span. They
found that high levels of air pollution in the city prevented
participants from getting some of the brain-boosting benefits of
exercise, such as the ab