The impact of regular workouts and fitness on psychological health and cognitive growth in adolescents

Zuleika Homavazir; Anand Mohan Jha; Pooja Varma; Vijay J. Upadhye; Ishika Soni

doi:10.31893/multiscience.2024ss0613

Keywords:

mental health (MH)

psychological health (PH)

cognitive growth (CG)

physical activity (PA)

physical fitness (PF)

Abstract

Adolescents' general Mental Health (MH), that involves factors like emotional stability, self-esteem, coping mechanisms, and the absence of MH conditions like depression and anxiety, is referred to as Psychological Health (PH). It includes elements that support resilient and healthy mental functioning. This study demonstrates exercise's role in fostering PH and Cognitive Growth (CG) throughout this critical development period. The beneficial effects of Regular Workouts (RW) on PH include decreased depressive and anxiety symptoms, better stress management, increased self-esteem, and body image, and better sleep. There are 163 adolescents aged 15 to 16 who took part in the study. This study assessed that a group of adolescents' Physical Activity (PA) and Physical Fitness (PF) correlated with their CG and psychosocial functioning. The research variables were measured using the General Self-Efficacy (GSE) Scale, the D2 Attention Test, the Form 5 Self-Concept Questionnaire (AF5), and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). The study findings suggested a beneficial association between PA and PF and the cognitive and psychosocial functioning of the investigated adolescents. Adolescents that exercised more, for instance, performed better on tests of Processing Speed, general self-efficacy (SE) and in selective attention, additionally, test results used to evaluate cognitive capacity and psychosocial factors were best predicted by cardio-respiratory fitness. Because of the consequences for different aspects of adolescent health and development, these results emphasize the need to encourage PA among adolescents.
References
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21. Wassenaar, T. M., Wheatley, C. M., Beale, N., Nichols, T., Salvan, P., Meaney, A., Atherton, K., Diaz-Ordaz, K., Dawes, H., & Johansen-Berg, H. (2021). The effect of a one-year vigorous physical activity intervention on fitness, cognitive performance and mental health in young adolescents: The Fit to Study cluster randomised controlled trial. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-021-01113-y
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to cite

Homavazir, Z., Jha, A. M., Varma, P., Upadhye, V. J., & Soni, I. (2024). The impact of regular workouts and fitness on psychological health and cognitive growth in adolescents. Multidisciplinary Science Journal, 6, 2024ss0613. https://doi.org/10.31893/multiscience.2024ss0613

[1] Akulwar-Tajane, I., Parmar, K. K., Naik, P. H., & Shah, A. V. (2020). Rethinking screen time during COVID-19: Impact on psychological well-being in physiotherapy students. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine Research, 4(4), 201-216.

[2] Belcher, B. R., Zink, J., Azad, A., Campbell, C. E., Chakravartti, S. P., & Herting, M. M. (2021). The roles of physical activity, exercise, and fitness in promoting resilience during adolescence: Effects on mental well-being and brain development. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, 6(2), 225-237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2020.08.005

[3] Biddle, S. J., Ciaccioni, S., Thomas, G., & Vergeer, I. (2019). Physical activity and mental health in children and adolescents: An updated review of reviews and an analysis of causality. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 42, 146-155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2018.08.011

[4] Cordier, D., Gerber, M., & Brand, S. (2019). Effects of two types of exercise training on psychological well-being, sleep, quality of life and physical fitness in patients with high-grade glioma (WHO III and IV): Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Cancer Communications, 39(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40880-019-0390-8

[5] Dale, L. P., Vanderloo, L., Moore, S., & Faulkner, G. (2019). Physical activity and depression, anxiety, and self-esteem in children and youth: An umbrella systematic review. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 16, 66-79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2018.12.001

[6] Dimitri, P., Joshi, K., & Jones, N. (2020). Moving more: Physical activity and its positive effects on long term conditions in children and young people. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 105(11), 1035-1040. https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2019-318017

[7] Haible, S., Volk, C., Demetriou, Y., Höner, O., Thiel, A., & Sudeck, G. (2020). Physical activity-related health competence, physical activity, and physical fitness: Analysis of control competence for the self-directed exercise of adolescents. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(1), 39. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17010039

[8] Herbert, C., Meixner, F., Wiebking, C., & Gilg, V. (2020). Regular physical activity, short-term exercise, mental health, and well-being among university students: The results of an online and a laboratory study. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 509. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00509

[9] Hosker, D. K., Elkins, R. M., & Potter, M. P. (2019). Promoting mental health and wellness in youth through physical activity, nutrition, and sleep. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics, 28(2), 171-193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2018.11.010

[10] Leahy, A. A., Mavilidi, M. F., Smith, J. J., Hillman, C. H., Eather, N., Barker, D., & Lubans, D. R. (2020). Review of high-intensity interval training for cognitive and mental health in youth. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 52(10), 2224-2234. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000002359

[11] Li, S. H., Beames, J. R., Newby, J. M., Maston, K., Christensen, H., & Werner-Seidler, A. (2022). The impact of COVID-19 on the lives and mental health of Australian adolescents. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 31(9), 1465-1477. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-021-01790-x

[12] Maes, M. J., Pirani, M., Booth, E. R., Shen, C., Milligan, B., Jones, K. E., & Toledano, M. B. (2021). Benefit of woodland and other natural environments for adolescents’ cognition and mental health. Nature Sustainability, 4(10), 851-858. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-021-00751-1

[13] Moreira, J. B., Wohlwend, M., & Wisløff, U. (2020). Exercise and cardiac health: Physiological and molecular insights. Nature Metabolism, 2(9), 829-839. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-020-0262-1

[14] Nagata, J. M., Cortez, C. A., Cattle, C. J., Ganson, K. T., Iyer, P., Bibbins-Domingo, K., & Baker, F. C. (2022). Screen time use among US adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from the adolescent brain cognitive development (ABCD) study. JAMA Pediatrics, 176(1), 94-96. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.4334

[15] Neudecker, C., Mewes, N., Reimers, A. K., & Woll, A. (2019). Exercise interventions in children and adolescents with ADHD: A systematic review. Journal of Attention Disorders, 23(4), 307-324. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054715584053

[16] Ntoumanis, N., Ng, J. Y., Prestwich, A., Quested, E., Hancox, J. E., Thøgersen-Ntoumani, C., Deci, E. L., Ryan, R. M., Lonsdale, C., & Williams, G. C. (2021). A meta-analysis of self-determination theory-informed intervention studies in the health domain: Effects on motivation, health behavior, physical, and psychological health. Health Psychology Review, 15(2), 214-244. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2020.1718529

[17] Pascoe, M., Bailey, A. P., Craike, M., Carter, T., Patten, R., Stepto, N., & Parker, A. (2020). Physical activity and exercise in youth mental health promotion: A scoping review. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2019-000677

[18] Rodriguez-Ayllon, M., Cadenas-Sánchez, C., Estévez-López, F., Muñoz, N. E., Mora-Gonzalez, J., Migueles, J. H., Molina-García, P., Henriksson, H., Mena-Molina, A., Martínez-Vizcaíno, V., & Catena, A. (2019). Role of physical activity and sedentary behavior in the mental health of preschoolers, children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 49(9), 1383-1410. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-019-01099-5

[19] Silva, L. A., Doyenart, R., Salvan, P. H., Rodrigues, W., Lopes, J. F., Gomes, K., Thirupathi, A., Pinho, R. A., & Silveira, P. C. (2020). Swimming training improves mental health parameters, cognition and motor coordination in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 30(5), 584-592. https://doi.org/10.1080/09603123.2019.1612041

[20] Singh, A. S., Saliasi, E., Van Den Berg, V., Uijtdewilligen, L., De Groot, R. H., Jolles, J., Andersen, L. B., Bailey, R., Chang, Y. K., Diamond, A., & Ericsson, I. (2019). Effects of physical activity interventions on cognitive and academic performance in children and adolescents: A novel combination of a systematic review and recommendations from an expert panel. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 53(10), 640-647. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-098136

[21] Wassenaar, T. M., Wheatley, C. M., Beale, N., Nichols, T., Salvan, P., Meaney, A., Atherton, K., Diaz-Ordaz, K., Dawes, H., & Johansen-Berg, H. (2021). The effect of a one-year vigorous physical activity intervention on fitness, cognitive performance and mental health in young adolescents: The Fit to Study cluster randomised controlled trial. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-021-01113-y

[22] Wassenaar, T. M., Wheatley, C. M., Beale, N., Salvan, P., Meaney, A., Possee, J. B., Atherton, K. E., Duda, J. L., Dawes, H., & Johansen-Berg, H. (2019). Effects of a programme of vigorous physical activity during secondary school physical education on academic performance, fitness, cognition, mental health and the brain of adolescents (Fit to Study): Study protocol for a cluster-randomised trial. Trials, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-019-3279-6

Abstract

References

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