Walking Preserves Much More Than Just Your Waistline

It is difficult to avoid the advice to exercise more if you want to look slimmer and maintain a healthy weight. But many of us simply have no desire or ability to run, or join a gym. But did you know that walking can help to prevent all manner of conditions including depression, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, diabetes and memory loss? One doctor even prescribes walking to his cancer patients.

Size matters – at least in your brain

As we age, our brains shrink in size, with a resulting reduction in function. Hence it becomes harder to remember things and it takes us longer to do things. In patients with Alzheimer’s disease, this reduction in brain size is accelerated well beyond the normal shrinkage seen with age.

Researchers have found evidence that declines in a substance called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) could also be important in memory loss, depression and shrinkage of the hippocampus.

Walking maintains the hippocampus

The good news is that research has shown that moderate intensity aerobic exercise (and brisk walking is an excellent choice) is not only associated with the maintenance of BDNF levels and hippocampal size, but could also reverse shrinkage. It was found that in the walkers the size of the hippocampus increased by 2% - making it equivalent in size to those in people 1 to 2 years younger. 

The research team also found that those in the control group (who didn’t do the exercise) who were fitter at the start of the study had less hippocampal shrinkage than those who were less fit.  This showed that even previous exercise had a protective effect on brain size.

Other studies have also shown a protective effect of exercise in warding off Alzheimer’s Disease. The earlier in life people develop Alzheimer’s, the worse the disease and outcomes tend to be. This research shows that at any age, walking as a form of exercise can help put off or possibly avoid a decline in memory and even the onset of Alzheimer’s.

Depression

It has also been found that depression is also associated with reduced levels of BDNF and shrinkage of the hippocampus.  This may help to explain the known link between depression and Alzheimer’s disease.  But since depression can occur at any age, this is worrying as it would seem to predispose people with depression to early onset of Alzheimer’s. 

Other researchers have found significant improvements in people with depression who walked, and some concluded that walking had a similar effect to other forms of exercise — in some cases, antidepressants are not even needed, and exercise alone can be enough to lift depression.