Why children who play sports have better mental health

By Stephen Beech

Children who play sports have better mental health than youngsters who don't do much physical activity, according to new research.

Taking part in physical games between the ages of 10 and 12 - just before, and during, the early stages of puberty - may be "key" to the development of resilience and hardiness, say scientists.

The findings showed that physical activity in early childhood, especially taking part in organised sports, may ward off several mental health disorders in adolescence.

Organised sports participation was associated with a 35% lower risk of depression among boys, according to the Swedish study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

But it led to only an 11% lower risk among girls for every additional weekly hour engaged in it.

Organised sports participation was also associated with a 14% lower risk of anxiety among girls and a 21% lower risk among boys, as well as a 41% lower risk of addiction among girls and a 30% lower risk among boys.

Physical activity has been suggested as "crucial" for helping build resilience to stress and lowering the risks of mental ill health in childhood.

But, until now, it wasn't clear if there are time points when it might be most beneficial.

The research team drew on the ABIS Study (All Babies in Southeast Sweden), which includes data from more than 17,000 families with children born between October 1, 1997, and October 1,1999, in south east Sweden.

In all, 16,365 children were included in the study from birth, 52% of whom were boys.

Parents reported on their children’s physical activity levels, the amount of time they spent outdoors, and any participation in organised sports at the ages of five, eight, and 11.

One in four children experienced a traumatic event before the age of five and almost 30% had done so by the age of 10.

Their mental health was tracked up to the age of 18, with confirmed mental health diagnoses obtained from a national registry.

Overall, 15% of the participants were diagnosed with at least one mental health issue during childhood, while 4% had three or more such diagnoses.

Analysis of all the data showed that physical activity levels fell from a daily average of just over four hours to 2.5 hours between the ages of five and 11.

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The daily amount of physical activity at the age of 11 was associated with a 12% lower risk of being diagnosed with any mental disorder before the age of 18 for each additional physically active hour.

But there were differences between the sexes in the level of associated protection afforded.

For example, physical activity was associated with a 30% lower risk of any mental health issue among boys at the age of 11, but not among girls.

When the incidence of specific mental health conditions was analysed in relation to daily physical activity levels, the risk of depression among girls was 18% lower, but 29% lower among boys at the age of 11.

The effects seemed to start early, at least in boys.

Study author Dr. Oskar Lundgren said the risk of depression was 19% lower at the age of five and 23% lower at the age of eight among boys, but not among girls.

And while the risk of anxiety fell sharply at both the ages of five (21% lower) and 11 (39% lower) among boys, no such effects were seen among girls.

Similarly, the risk of addiction was 34% lower at the age of eight and 35% lower at the age of 11 among boys, but not among girls.

Dr. Lundgren, of Linköping University in Sweden, said time spent outdoors wasn’t influential, but taking part in organised sports at the age of 11 was "strongly associated" with lower risks of a first-time occurrence of any mental health disorder among both boys (23% lower) and girls (12% lower).

But organised sports participation didn’t influence the risks of eating and sleep disorders, according to the findings.

Dr. Lundgren said, “Physical activity may influence boys and girls in different ways, including changes mediated by different levels of sex hormones.

"However, these effects might be direct - for example, by influencing brain health and development, or indirect - for example, by reducing subclinical hyperactivity, which is more common among boys.

“Furthermore, there may exist differences in physiological consequences - for example, variation in intensity of physical activity - and psychological experiences that are connected to gender and cultural norms.”

He said it was an observational study, thereby precluding any firm conclusions to be drawn about cause and effect.

But Dr. Lundgren added: “Our results support the hypothesis that the period just before, and during, the early stages of puberty might represent a sensitive period in which physical activity is key to the development of resilience and hardiness, with the period between the ages of 10 and 12 representing a critical window of opportunity.

“Given the dramatic increase in the global prevalence of psychiatric disorders among children and adolescents, this study highlights the importance of promoting physical activity, particularly through organised sports."