Do Physical Activity, BMI, and Wellbeing Affect Logical Thinking?

Abstract

We studied 6368 people (4544 women and 1824 men; aged 18-74 years). The research goal was to determine whether the Cognitive Reflection Test score (logical thinking compared with intuitive thinking) depends-and in what way it depends-on the healthy lifestyle components and emotional health-related components as well as age (18-74 years) and gender. We established that analytical vs. intuitive thinking depended on components of a healthy lifestyle, physical activity, sleep, eating habits, smoking and alcohol consumption, specificity of sporting activity, body mass index, and emotional health-related components (stress, depression, impulsivity, subjective health, emotional intelligence), as well as age and gender. We found that logical thinking was not associated with sleep, moderate-to-vigorous PA, impulsivity, subjective health, and components of a healthy lifestyle. However, logical thinking decreases with age, gender (higher in men than in women), BMI (decreases in both genders over the second degree of obesity), depression (the more severe depression in women, the worse their logical thinking), sedentary behavior (people who sat for longer periods had more difficulty solving problems), and in professional sportswomen (logical thinking is worse in professional sportswomen than in sedentary women, amateur sportswomen, or women who use gyms). Finally, we determined inverse correlations between logical thinking, emotional intelligence, and stress.

Keywords: emotional intelligence; healthy lifestyle; logical thinking; mental health; physical activity; professional athletes.

Figure 1

Dynamics of age-related performance in solving CRT tasks for men and women. At the top of the column is the number of participants. ((A)—women CRT responses % and age; (B)—men CRT responses % and age).

Figure 2

Solving CRT tasks and BMI. At the top of the column is the number of participants. ((A)—women solutions of CRT and BMI; (B)—men solutions of CRT and BMI; (C)—women CRT responses % and BMI; (D)—men CRT responses % and BMI).

Figure 3

Solving CRT problems by men and women in different age groups with PA (SB, MPA, VPA, MVPA). At the top of the column is the number of participants. ((A)—women solutions of CRT and SB; (B)—men solutions of CRT and SB; (C)—women solutions of CRT and MPA; (D)—men solutions of CRT and MPA; (E)—women solutions of CRT and VPA; (F)—men solutions of CRT and VPA).

Figure 4

Solving CRT tasks in men and women of different ages with MVPA METs. ((A)—women CRT responses % and MVPA; (B)—men CRT responses % and MVPA).

Figure 5

Solving CRT tasks and specific sporting activities. At the top of the column is the number of participants. ((A)—women CRT responses % and specific sporting activities; (B)—men CRT responses % and specific sporting activities).

Figure 6

Solving CRT tasks and specific sporting activities depending on age and gender. At the top of the column is the number of participants. ((A)—women solutions of CRT and specific sporting activities depending on age; (B)—men solutions of CRT and specific sporting activities depending on age).

Figure 7

The EI of men and women of different ages in solving CRT tasks. At the top of the column is the number of participants. ((A)—women of different ages EI score and solutions of CRT; (B)—men of different ages EI score and solutions of CRT).

Figure 8

Correlation coefficient between CRT (LT) and depression, stress, EI, BMI, MVPA, and SB.