Walking for 2-3 hours a week can significantly improve memory
problems in women over 50, says Professor Nicola T.
Lautenschlager, from the University of Melbourne, Australia. Her
study into exercise and cognitive function has just been
published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The study is believed to be the first in the world to
demonstrate that moderate exercise can positively affect
cognitive function. The study divided 170 people who had
reported memory problems (but did not meet criteria for
dementia) into two groups. One group continued their usual
activities, the other took part in a 24-week home-based physical
activity program with the aim to walk three 50 minute sessions
or other moderate exercise each week. Participants in the
exercise group did an average of 142 more minutes in a week, or
20 minutes in a day, than those in the control group. Professor
Lautenschlager said by the end of the study, participants in the
exercise group performed better on cognitive tests and had bette