Physical activity can help mental health in pre-teen years

Date:
March 1, 2023
Source:
University of Edinburgh
Summary:
Regular physical activity can improve adolescents' mental health
and help with behavioral difficulties, research suggests. Engaging
in regular moderate to vigorous physical activity at age 11 was
associated with better mental health between the ages of 11 and 13,
the study found.


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FULL STORY ========================================================================== Regular physical activity can improve adolescents' mental health and
help with behavioural difficulties, research suggests.


========================================================================== Engaging in regular moderate to vigorous physical activity at age 11
was associated with better mental health between the ages of 11 and 13,
the study found.

Physical activity was also associated with reduced hyperactivity and behavioural problems, such as loss of temper, fighting with other
children, lying, and stealing, in young people.

Researchers from the Universities of Edinburgh, Strathclyde, Bristol,
and Georgia in the United States explored data from the Children of
the 90s study (also known as the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children; ALSPAC).

They looked at the levels of physical activity of 4755 11-year-olds
which was measured using devices.

The devices recorded levels of moderate physical activity -- typically
defined as brisk walking or cycling -- as well as vigorous activity
which boosts heart rate and breathing, such as aerobic dancing, jogging
or swimming.

The young people and their parents reported on their levels of depressive symptoms from age 11 and at age 13 years. Participants' parents and
teachers were also quizzed about the young people's general behaviour
and emotional difficulties.

In analysing the impact of moderate to vigorous exercise on the young
people's mental health and behaviour, the team also considered factors
such as age, sex and socio-economic status.

They found that higher levels of moderate or intense physical activity
had a small but detectable association with decreases in depressive
symptoms and emotional difficulties.

Regular exercise had a small but detectable association with reduced behavioural problems, even after controlling for other possible
influences, the study found.

The findings suggest regular moderate and intense physical activity may
have a small protective influence on mental health in early adolescence, researchers say.

Dr Josie Booth, of the University of Edinburgh's Moray House School of Education and Sport, said: "This study adds to the increasing evidence
base about how important physical activity is for all aspects of young
people's development -- it can help them feel better, and do better
at school.

Supporting young people to lead healthy active lives should be
prioritised." Researchers say the study is the first to offer such
a comprehensive approach to examining mental health and exercise in
young people.

Professor John Reilly, at the University of Strathclyde, said: "While
it might seem obvious that physical activity improves mental health the evidence for such a benefit in children and young people has been scarce,
so the study findings are important. The findings are also important
because levels of moderate-to-vigorous intensity activity globally are
so low in pre-teens globally -- less than a third achieve the 60 minutes
per day recommended by the WHO and UK Health Departments." The study
is published in Mental Health and Physical Activity.

The research was funded by the Bupa Foundation. Researchers used data
from the Children of the 90s study, also known as the ALSPAC birth
cohort, based at the University of Bristol. The study is a long-term health-research project that enrolled more than 14,000 pregnant women
in 1991 and 1992.

Children of the 90s has been following the health and development of the parents and their children in detail and is currently recruiting the
children and the siblings of the original children into the study. It
receives core funding from the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome
Trust and the University of Bristol.

* RELATED_TOPICS
o Health_&_Medicine
# Fitness # Children's_Health # Mental_Health_Research
# Teen_Health
o Mind_&_Brain
# Child_Psychology # Child_Development # Mental_Health
# Depression
* RELATED_TERMS
o General_fitness_training o Public_health o Physical_exercise
o Health_science o Substance_abuse o Psychology o
Philosophy_of_mind o Fatigue_(physical)

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Edinburgh. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Josephine N. Booth, Andy R. Ness, Carol Joinson, Phillip
D. Tomporowski,
James M.E. Boyle, Sam D. Leary, John J. Reilly. Associations
between physical activity and mental health and behaviour in
early adolescence.

Mental Health and Physical Activity, 2023; 24: 100497 DOI: 10.1016/
j.mhpa.2022.100497 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230301210307.htm

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