Want your kids to be happy? Force them to exercise: Lazy children are more prone to developing adult depression
- Research suggests active infants are less likely to suffer from low mood as adults
- Scientists analysed 800 children over a period of four years, from ages six to ten
- The results could help off-set rates of depression in young adults, experts say
Children who embrace physical activity aren't just physically fitter - but have a greater chance of good mental health, too.
Youngsters who regularly exercise are less likely to develop mood disorders as adults, scientists have found.
Researchers assessed 800 young people over four years - from ages 6 to 10 - and noted a considerable link between activity and well-adjustment.
Investment: Children who break a sweat are less susceptible to depression in adulthood
If confirmed in other randomized studies, the results could help off-set rising rates of depression in adolescents and young adults, which has reached record levels.
According to charity YoungMinds, the number of young people aged 15-16 with depression nearly doubled between the 1980s and the 2000s, likely costing the NHS millions.
'This is important to know, because it may suggest that physical activity can be used to prevent and treat depression already in childhood,' said study author Silje Steinsbekk, from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
She added that any effective physical exertion must cause children to perspire or be out-of-breath.
Low: Men's suicide rates are at a record high and anxiety disorders are generally higher today
Move it: A youngster's physical exertion must cause them to perspire or be out-of-breath
The findings published in the Pediatrics Journal come just weeks after Swiss and German researchers assessed 6,500 teenagers to examine the link between depression and physical illnesses.
Academics at the University of Basel discovered that periods of depression were frequently followed by arthritis and diseases of the digestive system.
They also found that youngsters suffering from anxiety have a higher chance of being plagued by a host of skin diseases.
'While children can develop depression for a whole range of reasons, regular exercise and healthy eating are likely to be beneficial for mental health, even at a young age,' Dr Marc Bush from YoungMinds said.
'Childhood is when our mental health is developed and patterns are set for the future – so it’s important that parents and schools encourage children to form good habits for the future.'
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