Researchers followed 3,093 adults aged 18 to 93 for 14 years, recording daily step counts with Fitbit devices and linking the data to electronic health records before administering four computer‑based cognitive tests at the study’s conclusion.

Participants were divided into three groups based on average daily steps: roughly 5,100 steps for the least active, about 8,900 steps for a middle tier, and approximately 14,200 steps for the most active cohort.

Those in the highest step group performed significantly better on tests measuring attention, concentration, impulse control and reward‑based decision‑making compared with the lowest‑step group.

The researchers emphasized that while higher step counts correlated with improved cognitive scores, the study does not prove that walking directly causes these gains.

Analysis of blood pressure showed that higher systolic pressure was linked to poorer performance on a reward‑planning test, but it explained only about 4.8 % of the step‑cognition relationship, indicating other factors are also involved.

The authors noted two main limitations: cognitive abilities were assessed only once after the 14‑year follow‑up, and the sample was drawn from a US research programme, which may limit the findings’ applicability to other populations.