Study Finds Link Between Childhood Mental Health And Physical Fitness
Researchers say when the body benefits, so does the mind.
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Subscribe for free to get more stories like this directly to your inboxSome kids look forward to physical education as a respite from the “three R’s” while others dread the pressure to take part in sometimes demanding forms of exercise. But no matter what a child might think about getting fit, researchers say the benefits go far beyond improving stamina and strength.
The results are in
A report published in the latest issue of the JAMA Pediatrics medical journal found that as a child’s physical fitness increases, his or her propensity for certain forms of mental health issues decreases.
This is a particularly important finding considering the growing number of other studies that chronicle a troubling rise in the rate of anxiety, depression, and other serious concerns plaguing younger generations.
As for how the researchers arrived at their conclusions, they looked at a large sample of evidence available through the Taiwan National Student Fitness Tests and the National Insurance Research Databases, both of which provided an anonymous look at the correlation between the physical and mental health of students in Taiwan.
Measuring the data
Researchers took note of three specific characteristics of physical fitness:
- Cardio fitness: How fast students ran 800 meters
- Muscle endurance: How many sit-ups students could do
- Muscle power: How far students could perform a standing broad jump
Saving 30 seconds off the 800-meter time correlated with reduced risk of ADHD and anxiety across the board, with girls in particular also showing lower rates of depression. Performing an additional five sit-ups resulted in a similar connection.
Cause and effect are difficult to prove, but the study’s authors nonetheless think their work deserves widespread attention.
“The finding underscores the need for further research into targeted physical fitness programs,” they wrote, arguing that such strategies “hold significant potential as primary preventative interventions against mental disorders in children and adolescents.”
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