Cognitive Effects and Educational Possibilities of Physical Activity in Sustainable Cities

Ramón Romance, Adriana Nielsen-Rodríguez, Javier Benítez-Porres, José Luis Chinchilla-Minguet and Honorato Morente-Oria
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Ramón Romance: Department of Didactics of Languages, Arts and Sports, Universidad de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain
Adriana Nielsen-Rodríguez: Department of Didactics of Languages, Arts and Sports, Universidad de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain
Javier Benítez-Porres: Department of Didactics of Languages, Arts and Sports, Universidad de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain
José Luis Chinchilla-Minguet: Department of Didactics of Languages, Arts and Sports, Universidad de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain
Honorato Morente-Oria: Department of Didactics of Languages, Arts and Sports, Universidad de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 7, 1-14

Abstract: Life in cities has allowed the development of our capabilities since they have the necessary elements to evolve through successive generations. Our survival and well-being depend on social interactions. However, the excessive comforts offered by cities can be counterproductive to our health. This paper aims to identify the cognitive effects derived from the regular practice of physical activity (PA), as well as the opportunities and characteristics present in cities to enhance this activity and the pedagogical implications that can be extracted from it. Sustainable cities must achieve their ecological goals through economic development that meets the present needs without compromising the quality of the future. Reports reveal that the widespread lack of PA is a major risk factor for both physical and mental health. The literature provides more and more evidence of how physical exercise affects the brain and cognition, and informs us of how and when we perform our daily PA. An analysis of the situation reveals the need to plan an urbanism committed to the promotion of PA accompanied by an analysis of the characteristics of urban spaces demanded by citizens and a necessary programming of recreational and educational activities that encourage the practice of physical exercise.

Keywords: brain; cognition; education; physical activity; sustainable cities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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