Relationship between Physical Activity and Cognitive Function Among Young Adults

Abstract

Physical activity (PA) has many known beneficial effects, while sedentary behaviors are related to health risk. A growing body of literature has demonstrated that physical activity engagement is related to positive improvements in cognitive performance. PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between PA level and executive function among young adults. METHODS: Forty-three young adults [M age (SD)=24.4(3.96), female (61.4%)] volunteered for this study. Physical activity was measured using a self-reported format of a last 7-day physical activity questionnaire (PAQ) that includes the frequency and duration of three different PA levels such as light intensity PA (LPA), moderate intensity PA (MPA), vigorous-intensity PA (VPA) and of sedentary time (ST). PAQ enabled the calculation of metabolic equivalents (MET-min/week). For additional analysis, PA was categorized as three different levels such as low (<600), moderate (600-1,200), or high (≥1,200). Executive function tests involves Stroop test [i.e., Word (SW), Color (SC), Color-Word (SCW), Interference (SI)] measured by scores during time given (45sec) and Trail Making Test [Part A (TMT-A) and Part B (TMT-B)] measured by the time completed. Correlations, linear regression and ANOVA were used to examine a predicative strength on executive functioning variable and the mean difference between three different PA levels, respectively. RESULTS: VPA was significantly associated with scores of SCW [r= 0.42, p =.038] and SI (r= 0.41, p = .04). ST was significantly related to time of TMT-B [r=0.36, p = .016]. A regression analysis revealed that VPA was a significant predictor of SCW (β = 0.54, p = .05), accounting for 49% of the total variance and MPA was significant predictor of TMT-B (β = 0.49, p = .02) accounting for 53% of the total variance. ST was significant predictor of TMT-A (β = 0.45, p = .05) and TMT-B (β = 0.48, p = .04) accounting for 50% and 64% of the total variance, respectively. ANOVA revealed that VPA had significant shorter of TMT-B than MPA. CONCLUSIONS: Adults who participated in higher intense PA were more likely to have greater executive function than who had more sedentary time. The findings of the study enrich our understanding about the association between different PA levels and cognitive function among young adults.