A global ASICS study of more than 26,000 people reveals a direct link between physical activity as a teenager and better mental health as an adult. .
The study, carried out between November and December 2023, was led by Professor Brendon Stubbs from King’s College London and found that people who were able to maintain physical activity throughout adolescence were more likely to do so than those who were not. They were found to have higher activity levels and better mental health as adults. .
The study also identified 15 to 17 years as the most important age for staying active. People who stopped exercising before the age of 15 had 11% less concentration, 10% less self-confidence, and 10% less calmness as adults compared to those who exercised regularly during that time. Their subsequent mental health was the lowest, with a 10% decline in calmness and a 10% decline in calmness. 17.
Research has shown that being physically active as a teenager has a direct impact on your mental health later in life.
What happened to your research?
The results were released as part of ASICS’ second global state of mind survey, based on a 100-point “state of mind” (or mental health) score. The study covers 22 countries, with survey samples matching the country’s population proportions. Both age and gender. A score is then calculated using a rolling average of 10 cognitive and emotional traits, including positivity, content, and focus.
How do we know that exercise as a teenager can improve mental health as an adult? The study found that Brits who exercised regularly between the ages of 15 and 17 were more active later in life and had better mental health as adults than those who did not exercise during this period. We found that patients reported higher condition scores.
Asics added: “Each year the teenager continued to engage in regular exercise.” [more than 150 minutes a week] Associated with improved state of mind scores in adulthood. “If you stopped exercising before age 15, your state of mind score decreased by 15%, but if you stopped exercising before age 22, your score decreased by only 6%.”
In the UK, people who regularly exercised between the ages of 15 and 17 had an average state of mind score of 62/100 as adults, compared to a score of 58 for those who were inactive during that period. /100.
“Replacing 60 minutes of screen time a day with exercise can reduce new cases of depression by around 10%,” Professor Stubbs says.
How did England score?
The UK’s overall average state of mind score in newly released data is 61/100. This is two points lower than her 2022 survey results, where the UK received a score of 63/100. It is also 4 points lower than the global average of 65/100.This puts the UK in 17th place.th Out of 22 courtships in the study. Furthermore, inactive people in the UK have a much lower state of mind score of just 54/100.
So why is exercise so good for mental health?
Professor Stubbs explains that replacing one unhealthy habit with another can further enhance the benefits of exercise. “Another study in adolescents was able to demonstrate that if children were able to replace one hour of sedentary or screen time with more active time, they could reduce the effects of exercise. ” New depression patients decreased by approximately 10%.
In addition to alleviating mental health conditions, the study’s authors said exercise stimulates key emotional processing areas of the brain and may reduce inflammation, thereby improving gut health. I am.
So why are Britain’s scores falling?
Surprisingly, the study found that there is a generation gap. Younger generations are quitting exercise earlier and in greater numbers than older generations did when they were younger.
More than half of the Silent Generation (ages 78+) remember being active on a regular basis during their childhood, compared to just 21% of today’s Gen Zers (ages 18-27). As a result, Gen Z’s state of mind score was lower at 55/100 compared to 69/100 for the silent generation.
Professor Stubbs said: “It is alarming to see declining activity levels among young respondents at such a critical age, especially since this study reveals a link with declining levels of well-being around the world. This is because it has become so.”
“This could have major implications for future mental health around the world, as Gen Z around the world already has the lowest state of mind scores compared to the Silent Generation.”
The UK-wide average in the new data is 61/100, four points lower than the global average of 65/100.
Gary Raucher, Executive Vice President of ASICS EMEA, said: “The results of the second global state of mind survey demonstrate just how important it is for young people to stay active and what will happen next. “It shows that it can have an impact on their minds for years.”
Hayley Jarvis, head of mental and physical activity, said: “Mental health is particularly poor among young people, with one in five children and young people experiencing a mental health problem. Therefore, these results are concerning.”
“50% of common mental health problems are experienced by the age of 14 and 75% by the age of 24, so the teenage years play an important role in laying the foundations for the rest of life. Being active plays an important role in keeping us all healthy and reduces the risk of depression by 20-30%. Through our work with ASICS, we hope to help more teenagers I hope that I will continue to participate in regular exercise and that this will improve my overall mental health now and for years to come.”
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