Physical Fitness Offers Psychological Benefits for Youth

The swim team. Soccer leagues. Gymnastics. Many parents encourage their children to play sports to help them stay physically fit and maintain a healthy weight.

But staying physically fit does more than help children lose excess weight. It can also help prevent depression in young adolescents, a new study finds.

Sixth-graders – especially girls – were less likely to report feeling depressed when they reached seventh grade if they were physically fit, according to research presented at the American Psychological Association’s 122nd Annual Convention.

“Depression that begins at this time can lead to chronic or recurring depression in later years,” said Camilo Ruggero, a researcher from the University of North Texas. “Fitness programs are one way to help prevent depression in middle schoolers, but schools should also use other interventions, such as one-on-one or group therapy, that more directly address symptom treatment among depressed adolescents.”

Depression in adolescence is associated with poor school and health outcomes later in life. A report on adolescent health earlier this by the World Health Organization found that globally, depression is the No. 1 cause of illness and disability for youth between the ages of 10 and 19.

Researchers surveyed 437 middle school students for the study to assess their level of physical fitness. For both boys and girls, “the most powerful predictor of depression in seventh grade was having had symptoms of depression in sixth grade. However, once researchers controlled for this, fitness was an important factor in curbing students’ depression a year later,” a news release from the APA states.

Even when researchers took into consideration existing symptoms of depression and weight, the sixth-grade girls in the study who performed better on a cardiorespiratory fitness test were less likely to feel depressed when they were surveyed again in seventh grade, Camilo said. A smaller, yet similar effect, was noted for boys in the study.

Sources: American Pyschological Association; World Health Organization

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