Nature Versus Nurture

Identifying such twins was a challenge. Generally, identical twins have similar activity levels, indicating genetics might be a strong determinant of an individual’s inclination to get off the couch in the first place (that said, twins are usually raised in the same family and so may develop the same habits early in life).

The study also found that the more physically active twins not only had higher fitness levels but their bodies were better at controlling blood sugar levels, making them less prone to diabetes.

The final finding of the study was most intriguing: the more active twin had a bigger brain. This finding supported previous studies on older adults that show exercise increases the part of the brain responsible for memory, effectively warding off dementia. Best of all, this recent study of twins shows exercise benefits our brain well before our senior years!