Being active is just as important for adults as it is for kids. Regular physical activity plays a crucial role in maintaining both physical and mental well-being. A study published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders illuminated a very concerning issue of young children who are inactive are more likely to experience anxiety and depression.
This trend is particularly pronounced among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Connection between physical activity and mental health in kids So what did the study findings reveal? Children who engage in greater physical activity show lower levels of anxiety and depression, irrespective of whether they have a developmental disorder or not. Among children with autism, 69% of those who were completely inactive showed highanxiety, compared to 55% of those who engaged in physical activity at least one day per week.
Furthermore, 39% of physically inactive children with autism experienced depression, compared to 29% of those active 1–3 days per week and 23% of those active 4–7 days per week. This trend was also observed among children with ADHD. 42% of physically inactive children with ADHD reported anxiety, compared to 40% of those active 1–3 days per week and 32% of those active 4–7 days per week.
Depression rates followed a similar pattern. Higher levels of physical activity had a noticeable impact on healthy children as well. Anxiety levels dropped from 16.
