How does physical fitness affect brain development in teenagers?

How does physical fitness affect brain development in teenagers?

A recent study reveals that a sedentary lifestyle and physical inactivity are prevalent among children and adolescents and are negatively linked to their physical and psycho-cognitive health. Insert a pandemic, and these health issues are now two-fold. According to pediatric endocrinologist Dr. Marisa Censani, “Before COVID-19, obesity affected around 20% of American children 2 to 19 years of age. Now, the numbers are expected to rise, with studies predicting at least a 3 to 4 percent weight gain in children during the pandemic.” Censani goes on to add in the recent MedPage Today article, “In my obesity practice, children who had been losing weight before the pandemic are now returning with an average weight gain of 10 to 20 lbs.”

Our nation is at an inflection point regarding the rise in obesity among children and teens. The physical repercussions of a sedentary lifestyle are apparent in this age group, but what are the cognitive consequences of sitting in front of video games, social media, or Netflix day after day? This article looks at the cognitive toll physical inactivity is taking on our youth. We also reveal how exercise can clinically improve the executive function and brainpower of children and adolescents and what this means for our nation’s health and bottom line.

What Research Tells Us

Over the past 30 years, the childhood obesity rate has more than doubled in kids ages 2 to 5 years, tripled in youth ages 6 to 11, and more than tripled among adolescents ages 12 to 19. The research on this topic spans decades, giving researchers an extensive window into the physical ramifications of inactivity. When it comes to what happens to kids’ brains due to a sedentary lifestyle, the studies on this topic fall short. Luckily, recent research has been compiled to show that different types of exercises have distinct mechanisms for improving executive function. However, before discussing these clinical outcomes, we must address how inactivity impacts cognitive function in children and teens.

Parents and educators have all heard that exercise is great for kids. However, examining what happens to the young brain without physical activity is fundamental to understanding why exercise is necessary for brain health. For example, one study published in the ​International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity​ found that being sedentary for more than three hours a day was associated with an increased risk of experiencing depressive symptoms. Studies like these make a strong case that physical activity is vital to the mental health of children and adolescents. But what about executive function? What happens to kids’ learning, attention, and memory when they do not exercise?

Our Brains Suffer Without Physical Activity

Most pediatric experts agree that children and adolescents who do not engage in movement are prone to obesity. Unfortunately, research also shows a direct link between obesity and poor cognitive outcomes. For instance, according to a review in Nature, “It is increasingly recognized that obesity in youth is associated with poorer cognitive function, specifically executive functioning skills such as inhibitory control and working memory, which are critical for academic achievement.” The article goes on to suggest, “Emerging literature provides evidence for possible biological mechanisms driven by obesity; obesity-associated biomarkers such as adipokines, obesity-associated inflammatory cytokines, and obesity-associated gut hormones which are associated with learning, memory, and general cognitive function.”

Another study cites, “The development of executive function is linked to the maturation of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in childhood. Childhood obesity has been associated with changes in brain structure, particularly in PFC, and deficits in executive functions.” Research has also found that obesity and metabolic syndrome (a combination of weight-related issues such as high blood pressure and insulin resistance) during childhood is related to lower academic scores, thinner orbitofrontal and anterior cingulate cortices (associated with emotional regulation and cognition), less white matter integrity, and reduced hippocampal volume. These studies reveal the serious toll obesity takes on a child’s brain health. Most parents, guardians, and educators have heard that exercise can help children and teens maintain a healthy weight and brain function. However, what they do not know or understand – is how. Understanding this point can elevate exercise from a “nice to have” to a mandatory clinical tool in preventative medicine.

How does physical fitness affect brain development in teenagers?

The “How” Behind Exercise

Now that we know inactivity and obesity among children can lead to poor cognitive function, it is more important than ever to show the “how” behind exercise. According to Charles Basch of Columbia University, “It is likely that the effects of physical activity on cognition would be significant in the highly plastic developing brains of youth.” He gives a few examples of how exercise affects executive functioning, including:

  • It promotes brain plasticity by prompting brain cells to send out growth factors like BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), helping rebuild new connections between cells. Neurotrophins ensure neurons’ survival in areas of the brain responsible for memory, learning, and higher-ordered thinking.
  • It increases oxygen saturation and the formation of new blood vessels. Studies suggest that cerebral oxygenation plays an important role in the regulation of cognitive processes in the prefrontal cortex.

One of the most extensive meta-analysis reviews to date analyzed the effects of acute and chronic exercises on executive function in children and adolescents ages 5-18 years old. The recently published review looked at 36 randomized control trials over ten years, including 14 acute or short-term activities such as jogging or power cycling and 22 chronic or long-term exercises. The results found that “Acute and chronic exercises can effectively improve the executive function of children and adolescents.” Specifically, the results revealed:

  • Acute exercises significantly benefit children and adolescents’ inhibitory control (the conscious inhibition of automatic response in cognitive function).
  • Results showed a significant benefit in favor of acute exercises on working memory.
  • Both acute and chronic exercise significantly benefited cognitive flexibility (adjusting of thoughts and behaviors to adapt to changing situations).

The future goals of the review include exploring the impact of long-term physical exercises on cognitive flexibility.

The Future of Pediatric Preventative Care

According to Dr. Censani, “If we do not urgently address the obesity epidemic, the pandemic’s impact on the health of children with overweight and obesity will remain, with potential long-term consequences for our nation’s wellbeing.” Research has determined that if 18 percent more U.S. elementary school children participated in 25 minutes of physical activity three times a week, the overall savings in medical costs and lost wages would amount to $21.9 billion over their lifetimes. With continued research into the positive effects of physical activity on children and teens’ cognitive health, exercise may be the clinical tool that not only leads the fight in preventative care medicine but is good for the nation’s bottom line.

How does physical fitness affect brain development in teenagers?

How does physical activity affect brain development?

Not only is it good for your muscles and bones, it can keep your brain healthy, too. Physical activity can improve your cognitive health—helping you think, learn, problem-solve, and enjoy an emotional balance. It can improve memory and reduce anxiety or depression.

How does physical activity affect brain development in children?

Exercise changes the biochemistry of the brain by increasing blood vessels and strengthening the neuron connections. As the brain is flooded with blood, children can more easily acquire physical skills and cognitive development in the moment and with increased retention throughout the day.

How does exercise affect physical development in adolescence?

Why physical activity is important for pre-teens and teenagers.
improves heart and lung health..
boosts your child's immune system..
develops strong muscles, bones and good posture..
helps your child maintain a healthy weight and avoid overweight or obesity..