Physical Activity and Cognitive Function

Investigators at multiple Spanish institutions conducted a prospective cohort study to determine whether physical activity or sedentary behaviors were associated with working memory. Children enrolled in a population-based cohort study from 1997–2008 from 4 different Spanish regions participated. Demographics were collected at enrollment. Exposure data were collected through questionnaires administered to the parents when their child was 4 years old if their child enrolled on or after 2003 (young cohort) or when their child was 6 years old if their child enrolled before 2003 (old cohort). The primary exposures included (1) extracurricular physical activity, defined as hours per week the child exercised outside of school; (2) TV viewing, defined as hours per week the child watched TV; and (3) other sedentary behaviors, defined as hours per week the child engaged in non-TV (eg, …