Research shows that healthy lifestyle choices benefit us as we age across the spectrum of wellness – including physical, cognitive, and emotional domains. From AARP’s Staying Sharp program to Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s recent book “Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age,” many resources can help adults build resiliency by staying physically and mentally active. These research findings and programs also hold valuable lessons for our youth.
Jenny Etnier, Ph.D., has studied the effect of exercise on cognitive health across the life span for over 20 years. She has written two books related to youth sports and is the principal investigator for the Physical Activity and Alzheimer’s Disease 2 (PAAD-2) research study at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. She stresses the importance of beginning an active lifestyle no matter your age and advocates teaching youth to be physically active throughout their lives.
Cognitive reserve theory is one way to understand how a healthy lifestyle aids people from childhood to old age. In a recent podcast, Etnier explained that beginning around age 40, most people will experience some normal age-related decline in mental acuity. The cognitive reserve theory maintains that we can build cognitive reserves throughout our life – or in other words, a healthier brain. Physical activity is one component to building these reserves, which creates a higher starting point when normal age-related declines begin. That means declines in older age may not translate into significant behavioral changes.
“Physically active children, I believe, are building a healthier, more well-connected brain that is going to serve them well during young adulthood. It will also provide them a higher starting point when they do start to see some more negative types of declines due to age,” Etnier explains.
She also emphasizes that this does not mean that youth need to train at elite levels in specialized sports programs. Children and young adults should be encouraged to find a sport or activity that they enjoy.
“I’m a huge advocate of providing children with a varied skill set, which then allows them the freedom to choose activities as young adults and into adulthood that they have fun with. It’s a matter of finding out which activities we really enjoy so that we can stick with them,” said Etnier.
To hear more about the cognitive benefits of physical activity over the life span, click here for a Live Long and Master Aging podcast featuring Dr. Etnier.