Higher daily step counts linked to fewer mental health problems in early adolescence
A study published in JAMA Network Open suggests that higher daily step counts in early adolescence are linked to fewer mental health issues. Researchers found that teenagers who walked more had better mental health outcomes and slight differences in brain tissue development.
Why it matters
This research provides actionable evidence for the role of physical activity in adolescent mental health, which is increasingly relevant given rising rates of anxiety and depression in youth.
edited by Gaby Clark , reviewed by Robert Egan
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Add as preferred source Credit: Kampus Production from Pexels Every extra walk to school, casual soccer game in the park or trip to the store could be doing more for teenage mental health than first thought, according to new research tracking thousands of adolescents in the U.S.
The study, led by King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience in collaboration with the University of Massachusetts Amherst, tracked 5,515 adolescents taking part in the U.S. Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. The work is published in JAMA Network Open .
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