Sport and physical activity proves positive for young children, research finds
A decade-long study is proving how beneficial sports and physical activity are for young children and how the impacts can last into adulthood.
Published in the Netherlands by the JAMA Journal of Psychiatry, the March 2023 report demonstrates the positive outcome that physical activity has on children from a young age and how it can help their overall mental health later in life.
The study is part of a longer-term project called ‘Generation R’ led by the University of Rotterdam. It is an ongoing population-based project that researches people from their birth to young adulthood in urban populations in the Netherlands.
Participants born between April 2002 and January 2006 partake in ongoing check-ins over the course of their lives. For this study, 4,216 children were asked questions at ages six, 10 and 13 years old, with roughly half both girls and boys.
At the first visit (age six) and third (age 13) researchers assessed psychiatric symptoms using the Child Behaviour Checklist. At the second visit (age 10) researchers assessed neurobiological mechanisms of the brain.
The participants were also tested for psychological mechanisms including self-esteem, body image and friendship at age 10. Behavioural mechanisms completed at the second visit included sleep quality, diet and recreational screen time.
The study found more sports participation at a young age was associated with better self-esteem later in life.
The study concluded that no other evidence was found for sports aiding other neurological, psychological or behavioural variables, but mentioned more research was needed to see if sports can mitigate issues for children at higher risk of developing mental health issues.
