Introduction: In individuals with high educational levels, moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is often elevated, yet the causal direction and the role of cognitive performance in this association remain ambiguous. Herein, Mendel randomization (MR) was employed to measure the causal relationship between education, cognitive performance, and moderate to vigorous physical activity. The purpose of this study was to analyze the causal effects of educational attainment on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) levels and to explore potential mediating factors.

Methods: Two-sample univariate MR analysis was conducted to assess the overall effect of education on moderate to severe physical activity. Besides, a two-step MR analysis was carried out to evaluate the mediating effect of cognitive performance on the impact of education on moderate to severe

physical activity. Individuals included were exclusively of European ancestry, with data gathered from extensive genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on education (n  =  470,941), cognitive performance (n  =  257,841), and moderateto-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (n  =  377,234). Educational attainment was measured by college graduation status. Cognitive performance encompasses not only psycho-motor speed, memory, and abstract reasoning abilities but also knowledge and skills acquired in professional domains. MVPA is defined as any physical activity that produces a metabolic equivalent (MET) of ≥3.0.

Results: The positive two-sample MR analysis showed that education level had a significant protective effect on MVPA deficiency (β  = −0.276, 95% CI  = −0.354 to −0.199, p  =  2.866  ×  10−12). However, the reverse two-sample MR analysis showed that MVPA had no significant causal relationship with education level (p  =  0.165). Subsequently, the two-step MR analysis indicated that the potential causal protective effect of education on the risk of MVPA deficiency was mostly mediated by cognitive performance (mediating effect β  = −0.235, 95% CI  = −0.434 to −0.036, and the intermediary ratio was 85.061%).

Discussion: Cognitive performance holds considerable significance in the relationship between education level and MVPA. Consequently, the intervention of cognitive performance may greatly improve the risk of physical inactivity caused by education, thereby promoting individual health.

Zhang Jinmin is a dedicated researcher from Fujian, China, currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Education at the School of Education, Zhejiang Normal University. She earned her bachelor's degree in English from Fujian Normal University, followed by a master’s degree from the College of Sports Science at the same institution. Her research interests lie at the intersection of physical education, education, and psychology, with a particular focus on exploring the interconnections among these fields.

Throughout her academic career, Zhang Jinmin has been recognized with nearly twenty awards, including the prestigious Second-Class Scholarship for Outstanding Students at Fujian Normal University. She has actively contributed to academia through participation in two national-level research projects and has authored several papers as the first author in esteemed journals such as Frontiers in Psychology.

Committed to the pursuit of scientific research, Zhang Jinmin remains eager to engage with the academic community and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in her areas of expertise.