Physical activity good for the body and mind

By Megan Rauscher NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In a cross-sectional study on health and aging, older women who were more active during the day did better on tests of their cognitive function. "This was especially true for tests that involved something called executive function, which is basically your ability to plan and execute daily tasks," Dr. Deborah E. Barnes, who led the study, told Reuters Health. "No matter how old you are, it is important to stay active." The study involved 2,736 elderly women without evidence of dementia. After removing the influence of age, race, and education, Barnes of the University of California at San Francisco and colleagues found that women who were the most active, compared with those who were the least active, posted better average scores on several standard cognitive tests and were less... [read full story]